


We Are Dust And Shadows

by 9091fxh, khrysallis



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Shadowhunter Chronicles Fusion, Drama, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-17
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-08-09 04:33:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 36,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7786945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/9091fxh/pseuds/9091fxh, https://archiveofourown.org/users/khrysallis/pseuds/khrysallis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p> Yifan is from an old family of Shadowhunters, while Lu Han is the half-Fey son of a former Shadowhunter. The Cold Peace forbids them from even being friends, but they find a way, regardless.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Are Dust And Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, I’d like to apologise to the mod(s) for the delay in submission, and thank you for being so incredibly patient with me. Thank you, as well, for granting me extension after extension. To the prompter, I hope this is in accordance to what you’re looking for; the plot kind of ran away from me, and it kind of turned a lot more complicated than it really should? I’m not even done reading CoLS and the books after that, so I apologise in advance for the possible inaccuracies. Regardless, I had fun, and I’ll most probably revise this once I have the time to make it more cohesive.

**Prompt:** #41  
**Title:**  We are dust and shadows  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Pairing** Luhan/Kris  
**Side Pairing(s):** one-sided Suho/Kris  
**Length:** 36,385 words  
**Tags:** Shadowhunters!AU, graphic description of violence

 

A large portion of information were sourced from the Shadowhunters Wikia, while the names of the seraph blades are names of angels sourced from here. For those who are unfamiliar with the Shadowhunters series, here’s a list of glossaries you might want to familiarise yourselves with before you begin:

1) Iratze - also known as the Healing Rune  
2) The Dark War - the war that ended in 2007, led by Sebastian Morgenstern and his ally the Seelie Queen, effectively ruling the Fairfolk enemies of the Shadowhunters. Click [here](http://shadowhunters.wikia.com/wiki/Dark_War) to read more!  
3) [Cold Peace](http://shadowhunters.wikia.com/wiki/Cold_Peace)  
4) Seelie Court - highest ruling body of the Fairfolk  
5) Fairfolk = Fey = Faeries, Shadowhunters = Nephilim  
6) Downworlders - includes the vampires, werewolves, warlocks, and the fey.

 

Yifan keeps his breath shallow, his seraph blade Cassiel in a low dim in his right hand as he listens intently for any form of movement around him. Beside him, his _parabatai_ has his own weapon drawn but not activated, forehead scrunched in concentration. Yifan's heart is beating steadily against his ribcage, having been exposed to enough of such situations by now to feel remotely intimidated by the unknown. Panicking will only make things worse; an amateur's mistake. Not all Shadowhunters are born brave, after all. 

It's always like this, demon-hunting, because they never really know what they're up against. All it takes for their deployment is a direct order from the head of the Institute the moment any demonic activity is picked up on their equipment, and only a vague location of where the demon has been spotted would be provided to them. The rest, as they say, depends on the Angels' blessings.

Sometimes they get a lesser demon, which Yifan is more than happy to dispatch, because they're rather easy kills as far as Yifan is concerned. Sometimes they're faced up with a Greater Demon, which is not a good thing in their books. More often than not, even with two good Shadowhunters fighting against it, they'd still struggle a lot to the point of requiring extra assistance. Those are the ones where they'll end up all bloody and cut up before they manage to kill the demon, occasionally needing the help of a Warlock to heal their injuries because a Healing Rune just doesn't cut it, what with the amount of poison contained in the Greater Demon's blood.

"The demon's close. I can smell it," another voice speaks up behind Yifan, tone impassive, and it almost startles a response out of him until Yifan remembers belatedly that his demon-hunting party has long expanded past him and his _parabatai_. He turns around to raise an eyebrow at Qian Kun, a member of the Night Children whose complexion is so pale his skin could be translucent. There are permanent bruises beneath Qian Kun's eyes, a testimony of his identity as a part of the Undead, but the man is no less good-looking. He looks young, but Yifan can't even begin to guess his age. He only knows that Qian Kun has been walking upon Earth far, far longer than Yifan or his parents have.

It's not an uncommon sight these days, to have a Downworlder hunting for demons alongside the Nephilim. Things have changed drastically since the end of the Dark War and the establishment of the New Accords back in the year 2007, and the Shadowhunters have grown to be more tolerant of the Downworlders who roam amongst them, having seen their sincerity in fighting against Sebastian Morgenstern and his Endarkened army alongside the Shadowhunters. Since then, friendships formed between Shadowhunters and Downworlders are no longer frowned upon or scorned as badly as they had been before the New Accords were drafted, and they can get along far better now.

Of course, there is only one exception – the Fairfolk.

"Can you pinpoint its location?" Yifan asks, still keeping his eyes peeled as they head deeper into the deserted bowels of the concrete forest of Beijing. It's three in the morning, an ungodly hour as far as the world is concerned; apart from the occasional drunkard singing profanities at the top of their voices and the rats scurrying across the filthy ground, Yifan can't pick up anything else out of the ordinary.

Qian Kun frowns. "No, it's good at hiding its tracks. It's sliding back into the demon realm to shake us off as we speak."

Beside Yifan, his _parabatai_ mirrors the vampire's frown. "When did they get this smart, anyway?" He asks. "They used to be the type that goes straight for the kill instead of bothering with fancy stunts like this."

"Maybe they decided to change their game a little, Junmyeon," Yifan says in lieu of a joke, but no one manages to laugh when their conversation is rudely interrupted the moment they turn around the next corner of the block they're in.

They smell the demon first before they see it, the revolting stench of rotting flesh filling the air and making Yifan's stomach churn without fail. It's only by pure luck that they manage to prevent themselves from being flattened by the demon, rolling out of the way when the demon leaps on them from the roof of the building beside them, temporarily blocking out the moonlight which had been shining upon the hunting party just moments ago.

Qian Kun is already out of sight by the time Yifan realises it, probably working up some plan to bring the demon down. He's not worried about Qian Kun abandoning them in the middle of the fight; being a pureblood, the man has always held onto a strict moral principle, honouring his words without fail. He's never let Yifan or Junmyeon down, as far as they're concerned.

The lights from Cassiel and Shoftiel burst forth, illuminating the darkened streets at once when Yifan and Junmyeon activate their weapons, and their focus is instantly on the demon before them. It's a Kuri demon they have to face tonight, a spider demon with eight pincer-tipped arms with a body spanning five feet in length, fangs dripping with poison extending from their eye sockets. It's a hideous thing indeed, but Yifan's glad that it's not a Greater Demon.

With a silent understanding that has been cultivated over the years they've been fighting beside each other, Yifan and Junmyeon merely share a brief nod before jumping into action, taking one flank of the demon each. The demon's piercing screech floods the night, shattering the silence when Yifan swings his seraph blade in a wide arc, slicing off one of its arms and leaving behind a mess of putrid ichor. It's a good thing they have Glamour to conceal their activities from the Mundanes; the streets of Beijing would otherwise be plunged into a state of chaos whenever a demonic attack occurs, and the Beijing Enclave would have a difficult time trying to explain to the masses about the existence of a world parallel to the universe the Mundanes are living in, filled with mythical creatures that are supposed to exist only amongst their imagination and on the pages of well-written fantasy books.

(Yifan has read those before. Mundanes have pretty good imagination, he has to admit, but the contents of these books don't even come close to accurately describing the Downworlders and their attributes. Perhaps it's best they didn't.)

On the other side of the demon, Junmyeon agilely avoids the demon's pincers from stabbing him, leaping out of the way the moment it brings one of its intact arms upon Junmyeon. He quickly slides beneath the demon while it's distracted by Yifan, sticking Shoftiel into the underbelly of the Kuri demon and drags his seraph blade along its length, eliciting another pained screech from it.

Yifan and Junmyeon exchange a high-five when Junmyeon rolls out from below the demon to join Yifan, grinning as they watch Qian Kun land on top of the demon, sharp nails already plunging into its joint where head meets body. There's always a kind of ruthless grace to Qian Kun's attacks, considering how the vampire prefers to end these demons as fast as he can instead of toying around with his prey. It's the same this time, when Qian Kun rips a hole in the demon's head and tosses it aside, then leaps out of the way just as the Kuri demon's visceral body dissipates into dust.

"Impressive as usual," Junmyeon lets out a low whistle as Qian Kun flings the last of the demon's ichor onto the tarred road, a look of disgust on the vampire's face. He's never been much of a fan of that stuff, really, but Yifan has been friends with Qian Kun long enough for the man to be agreeable with Yifan's invitations to go hunt down a demon.

"Enough with the flattery, Kim," Qian Kun says, though there's no heat in his voice. If Yifan looked close enough, he might even be able to find a hint of a smile on the vampire's face, but of course Kun is much too prideful to admit that he's amused by Junmyeon's compliment.

"Funny, it doesn't seem to be actively hunting down Mundanes tonight," Yifan comments just then, deactivating his seraph blade and slotting it back into its holder clipped onto his belt. The demons they've killed so far have always zeroed in on Mundanes to feed on them, regardless of the presence of Shadowhunters and Downworlders alike. _This_ demon, on the other hand, dove straight for Yifan's party, seemingly acting on a one-track mind.

Maybe Junmyeon is right. Maybe the demons have gotten more intelligent; either way, it's not good news.

"It's definitely an anomaly–" Qian Kun starts, only to hold his tongue and whip his head around when something snares his attention. Before Yifan or Junmyeon can even ask him what's wrong, though, he's already muttering a quiet, "I smell angel blood," and he dashes off before Yifan can even wrap his mind around the words.

Yifan and Junmyeon exchange a questioning look, and immediately chases after Qian Kun down the deserted streets of Beijing without another word. Qian Kun doesn't usually react to the smell of angel blood like this, considering the fact that he's practically surrounded by Shadowhunters on a daily basis, and has already gotten used to their scent which Qian Kun describes as almost sickly sweet, better than the blood of the Mundanes. The only other reason why Qian Kun would act in such a manner is when someone unfamiliar is in the vicinity, which triggers his natural senses of being preyed upon. There's no doubt that it's the latter this time.

Yifan skids to a stop when he finds Qian Kun in the next block, only to realise that the pureblood is in a defensive stance. He follows the vampire's line of sight, and stops breathing when he realises just what Qian Kun is looking at.

The figure hidden behind the bushes sports a head of silvery blond hair that stands out in the darkness, eyes a mismatched colour of dark brown and sapphire when Yifan takes a better look. He's like a deer caught in the headlights, eyes wide as he takes in the sight of Yifan, Junmyeon, and Qian Kun staring at him, but it doesn't take long before the figure makes a run for it.

Yifan gives chase, of course, heart pounding when he realises just what the figure is, but the moment he gets into the heart of the park where the figure was seen running towards, he bristles in frustration when he finds that the figure is already gone, seemingly disappeared into thin air.

Qian Kun takes a whiff of the night breeze and affirms that the being is indeed gone, confirming that the figure actually possesses some degree of magical powers. Yifan doesn't like the sound of it at all.

✩

"What's a Fey doing in the Mundane world, anyway?" Junmyeon asks, the confusion thick in his voice as he takes a seat at the table where they always have their discussions in the Institute. Qian Kun had excused himself after the hunt, returning to his downtown apartment before the sun rises for the day, and they'd promised to call him again when there's another demonic activity in town.

Yifan runs a hand through his hair and unbuckles the weapons belt strapped against his chest, discarding them on the table top with a loud thud before dropping himself on the chair across from Junmyeon, dangling his feet on the seat next to him. That question has been bothering him ever since they'd bumped into the being with the mismatched eyes during their hunt, because there aren't any other species in the world that would possess such attributes in addition to being able to perform magic _and_ gives off the scent of angel blood at the same time.

That can only mean one thing. "I believe he's half-Fey, half-Shadowhunter," Yifan speaks his mind, which causes Junmyeon to lean forward and slam his hands against the table out of shock. There's no mistaking it though, and Junmyeon clearly knows it, too, especially with Qian Kun's observation. Yifan doesn't doubt Qian Kun's sense of smell, seeing that he's a vampire and all.

"Haven't they been exiled from our ranks since the Cold Peace, when the Clave in Alicante had rescinded their protection on the Fairfolk and stripped them of their weapons and army?" Junmyeon asks again. It's a fair observation; Yifan personally has never seen a trace of the Fey ever since he had joined the Beijing Institute, much less their half-Shadowhunter, half-Fey counterparts. The Fairfolk possess a great amount of pride, of course, and Yifan doesn't doubt for a moment that they had felt insulted by the Clave's blatant disrespect.

He'd initially thought that the Fairfolk had decided to stay in the Faerie Realm as a sign of protest, but with the reappearance of their kind, Yifan can't help but feel a little unsettled. They are, in essence cunning after all. There's no saying what they might be planning.

"They have," Yifan concurs with his _parabatai_ , worrying on his bottom lip. "There aren't many of them who possess angel blood, but they've been scattered across the globe. I can't see why they're making an appearance now."

"Do you think we should alert the Enclave?" Junmyeon says in a whisper, not wanting to alert their fellow Nephilim milling about, but the answer is already clear to Yifan.

"No," Yifan tells him, lips pressed into a thin line. "I think we'll have to find out what they're up to before we make any hasty conclusions. The Clave will order an all-out massacre on the Fairfolk even with the slightest suspicion, and I don't want to have a hand in destroying them when their innocence hasn't been proven."

If there's anything Yifan's glad about, it's the fact that Junmyeon is as level-headed as can be. His _parabatai_ is always open to discussion, taking into consideration all aspects of an issue before making his final decision. The same can't be said about half of the Shadowhunters in existence, always so brash and jumps the gun way too early.

And Yifan feels thankful when Junmyeon nods in acquiescence. "Fair enough. We'll wait and see what they're up to, and on the slightest hint that they mean us harm, we'll tell the Clave."

"Agreed."

✩

The boy with silvery blond hair that shines even more beneath the sunlight and a pair of eyes with mismatched colours of dark brown and sapphire ducks when a wooden stick is swung at his head, rolling out of the way with a short laugh. He's got freshly-cut grass in his hair and on his clothes, and maybe a bit on his face too, but he doesn't really care. The smell of the air after the rain is refreshing, as is an intense physical workout in the form of a sparring exercise.

He laughs again when he parries the next attack, raising his own stick above his head to block the other man's weapon, and cartwheels away to put a good distance between them. "Take it easy, old man. If I didn't know better, I'd have thought you were trying to kill me."

The man guffaws, crowfeet making its appearance known at the corner of his eyes. "If only you'd take things a little more seriously, Han, you'd have been able to see my attacks in advance. I've given you cues." He does, however, discard his wooden staff on the side, and takes a rest at the veranda of their home.

Lu Han bounces over to join the man, still grinning away. "Father, it _just_ rained. It's excusable for me to be a little lazy."

"A true Shadowhunter is never _lazy_ , Han. How many times have I told you that?" Lu Ming asks, but his words lack heat, wearing a fond smile on his face as he looks at his son.

It's only then that the grin on Lu Han's face falls. "But I'm not a Shadowhunter, Father. You know we'll never be one ever again," he says, because it's true. Lu Han may be young, but he's not ignorant of the fact that the Nephilim who are associated closely with the Fairfolk have been exiled from the ranks of their kind after the Dark War had handed, their Marks stripped off their bodies. Lu Han's father was one of them, and by extension, half-Fey, half-Nephilim beings like Lu Han aren't welcomed either. He knows what the Fey have done during the Dark War, but it isn't fair for the Clave to distrust those who possess the angel's blood, too, when they have done nothing out of line.

For one, Lu Han knows that his father is one of the most loyal Shadowhunters in existence. Even when he's been exiled from the ranks of the Nephilim for marrying a Fey, Lu Ming has never forgotten anything he has learned from the Institute. He even began teaching and training Lu Han in the arts of fighting like a true Shadowhunter from young, detailing the history of their kind with patience and respect. Never once has Lu Ming expressed his hatred for the Clave, for having banished him and others like him without allowing them to clarify where their loyalties lie. Lu Ming doesn't agree with the sanctions which the Clave had put on the Fairfolk, but he's never spoken out against them, either.

Lu Han had been upset with the Nephilim once, when he'd been old enough to find out what they've done to his father, but Lu Ming had reprimanded him severely when he'd found out about it, telling Lu Han that he shouldn't bear ill feelings for the other children of Raziel's. His father doesn't know this, but Lu Han is still upset with them now, for depriving his family of everything they've ever stood for.

Lu Ming's smile turns wistful at Lu Han's statement. "I do, but there's always the hope that things will change for the better. Eventually."

Lu Han averts his gaze and mutters under his breath. "I can only hope it'll be before we turn into dust." As things are, it's highly unlikely that the Nephilim will induct them back into their fold, especially someone like his father who'd been stripped of his Marks against his will. Lu Han had seen the looks on the pair of Shadowhunters last night when they'd spotted him, distrust written on their faces even though it's been nine years since the Cold Peace had been instituted and the Fairfolk's seats on the Council revoked.

Clearly, some people hold grudges longer than the others, but Lu Ming has always taught his son to be the bigger person, to forgive and forget.

Sometimes, Lu Han thinks that his father is far too noble for his own good.

"You were out late yesterday," the statement comes all of a sudden, and Lu Han freezes in his seat. So _that's_ why his father had wanted to spar with him today, to get Lu Han alone to speak to him about the matter.

In retrospect, Lu Han hadn't expected his father to find out about his little excursion, having picked the time when his parents were away from the house to sneak out. He had gotten back from the Mundane world long after his parents had fallen asleep, so how–?

He knows there isn't a point in lying to his father when the older man is speaking about the issue outright, though. Lu Ming may be gentle, but he can also be very stern. So Lu Han cooks up the best possible excuse he can think of, without angering his father in the process. "Yes, I did. Baekhyun wanted to meet–"

"You know what I said about being untruthful," his father warns, and Lu Han reflexively swallows. Shit. "And I told you many times that they will not hesitate to hurt you the moment they grow suspicious of you. Stay away from them. That world no longer has a place for us."

Lu Han slumps against his seat, and mutters half-heartedly, never really meeting his father's gaze after. "I understand, Father."

It doesn't mean he has the intention to obey, however.

✩

It turns out that the sighting of the half-Fey, half-Shadowhunter being wasn't a one-off affair.

Yifan learns of this over the span of several more demonic attacks on Beijing, especially when they have Qian Kun or Sicheng with them. The vampires would always be on high alert the moment they smell the scent of angel's blood that doesn't belong to Yifan or Junmyeon or any of the other Shadowhunters who are with them, especially when they take a better whiff of the air and picks up the muted scent of a demon, too.

That's what they are – three-quarters angel, a quarter demon, owing to their Faerie origins. It's precisely what makes Yifan and the rest of his friends so wary of the being's presence, because they can never be sure what the half-Fey, half-Nephilim being wants of them. It won't do them any good to let their guards down, either, considering the cunning blood of the Fey that runs in the being's veins. They can promise you the world and then drag you right down to hell, Yifan has been told by his father when he was younger, and he holds on steadfastly to that opinion about the Fairfolk.

The half-Fey is always there whenever they're busy fighting off the demon from crossing over to the Mundane world to wreak havoc, watching them keenly from the shadows at first. Then, when he realises that the party won't come after him when they're already busy fending off the demon of the day, he grows bolder still, and can sometimes be found sitting on the ledge of a building and dangling his feet from its edge, unafraid of falling to his death from that height, nor of the fact that he's in plain sight. Yifan's skin always crawls whenever he catches the half-Fey watching them in the middle of a battle, imagining the cruel smirk on his face as they get driven back by the sheer strength of the demon, almost as though this is a form of twisted _entertainment_ for him.

It's unfortunate that they can't ever let their concentration waver when they're going up against a demon, even with a party of five – Yifan and Junmyeon are by no means terrible Shadowhunters; they're one of the best in the Beijing Enclave, in fact, but it doesn't mean that they'll always face up against an easy opponent. Sometimes they'd run into trouble, even with the vampires and the werewolves fighting alongside them.

And when they finally subdue the stronger demons and drive them back into the Demonic Realm, Yifan would lift his gaze in the direction where the half-Fey had been watching them earlier, only to find the spot completely devoid of his presence.

Junmyeon is, of course, filled with unease, considering how frequently they've been spotting the half-Fey these days. He has even tried to let the head of the Beijing Enclave – Yifan's _father_ – know about it, only to be intercepted by Yifan at the very last minute. Yifan really doesn't want to watch the Shadowhunters go into a war with the Fairfolk without substantial evidence, and he _knows_ just how hot-headed his father is. The consequences would be devastating.

Junmyeon would always yield, albeit sometimes reluctantly, which Yifan completely understands. He feels uneasy about the situation too, but Yifan would like to think he hasn't inherited his father's brash behaviour.

Yifan does, however, make a silent promise to himself to force the half-Fey into talking eventually, and he's not about to fail in his attempts. He isn't known for being persistent for nothing.

✩

The trap is laid the following week, after three more Lesser Demon attacks, when they can be sure that the half-Fey will hang around the vicinity until the demon turns into dust.

It's simple on paper, really, Yifan having enlisted help from several other vampires through Qian Kun's recommendation. They were integral to Yifan's plans, considering the speed at which they're able to flit, and Yifan has every intention to catch the half-Fey this time before the being even has the time to work his magic and disappear again. It doesn't even seem like the half-Fey realises that not everyone from Yifan and Junmyeon's demon-hunting group are Shadowhunters, which adds on to their advantage.

How naïve the half-Fey is.

Song Qian and Amber are hidden in the shadows as Yifan's group fight against a pair of Elapid demons, nasty snake-headed creatures with insectile bodies and a dozen skittering legs that end in jagged claws. These demons move a lot faster than the ones Yifan and Junmyeon has had to face before this, and they're actually breaking a sweat beneath the humid summer air of Beijing, made worse by the air pollution that grapples the country and smothering everything in its way.

But his senses are on an overdrive when Yifan feels that familiar prickling sensation on his skin that can only come from being watched, and he just knows that the half-Fey is there again tonight, observing their fight against the demons. It's coming from the direction of the tall trees in the park across the street, where he knows that Amber and Song Qian are lying in wait, because the Fairfolk would always feel infinitely more comfortable when they're surrounded by nature, seeing that they draw most of their magic from it.

The tell-tale smirk that spreads across Qian Kun's face in the midst of the battle serves to let Yifan know that Song Qian and Amber have successfully captured the half-Fey. Yifan shares a knowing look with Junmyeon, who nods in understanding, before pulling out his bow and arrows, releasing several consecutive well-aimed shots at the Elapid demon closest to him. They've all been stalling for time, treating the pair of demons as their playthings, until they could be sure that the half-Fey has been captured. They make quick work of the demons soon after, and once the night is safe from the demonic threat, Yifan and Junmyeon are hot on Qian Kun's heels, following after their vampire friend to where Song Qian and Amber are.

The mismatched dark brown and sapphire blue eyes of the half-Fey is even more pronounced in the dark when Yifan looks at him up close, and the way they're glancing back at him in a steely manner throws Yifan off. He's heard of the rumours, that the Fairfolk possess exquisitely delicate features, but he's never actually seen one of them until today.

Yifan hates to admit it, but the rumours are true. The half-Fey, half-Shadowhunter before him, oddly motionless in Song Qian and Amber's grip, has soft, pale skin that seems to glow beneath the moonlight, with a small mouth and a gentle slope for a nose. Yifan almost looks like a giant, when he's standing next to him like this.

Junmyeon clears his throat softly just then, jolting Yifan back to reality, and his cheeks flame at the realisation that he's been caught staring. Yifan quickly pulls himself together, though, seamlessly falling into his mould as the son of the head of the Beijing Enclave. He's expected to take over the Enclave from his father in the future, Yifan knows, and he's already being trained in that aspect, his parents polishing his decorum and the way he carries himself before the others whenever they have the time. It's only normal for them, seeing that Yifan comes from a lineage of pureblooded Shadowhunters who are highly respected in their region.

"What are your intentions?" Yifan asks, keeping his voice low but no less firm or intimidating, narrowing his eyes at the half-Fey. The Downworlders all know better than to cross a Shadowhunter of Yifan's standing, and he hopes that this half-Fey here knows of it too. He doesn't draw Cassiel out of its holster, though. Yifan doesn't like pointing his weapons at an unarmed person, and he doesn't think that a half-Fey like the one standing before him is capable enough of hurting them with magic. Their abilities have surely been watered down by the union of his parents, of a Nephilim and a Faerie. Unless–

"What do you possibly mean by that?" The half-Fey answers instead and interrupts Yifan's train of thought, smile seemingly innocent, but there's an alluring lilt to his words, said like the sweet song of Spring.

Yifan doesn't buy it, though. The Fairfolk are _never_ innocent, if the things he's learnt from the Academy are anything to go by. "We have found you lurking around whenever there is a demonic activity in Beijing. Speak; are you related to them?"

"Yeah, well, I have some demonic blood running in my veins. You know, being _half-Fey_ and all," the half-Fey actually rolls his mismatched eyes at Yifan, but still he doesn't struggle against his captors. The rest of Yifan's party remain silent, allowing Yifan to pry the truth out of the half-Fey's mouth. Yifan doesn't doubt that they'd rip the half-Fey apart the moment he shows any signs of hostility, but he needs them to remain patient until he can ascertain what this half-Fey is up to.

Then again, Yifan doesn't realise that the half-Fey has been reading into his thoughts when he groans, "Will you _stop_ calling me a half-Fey in your head, when you also know that I'm half-Nephilim? I have a name, and it's Lu Han, asshole."

Yifan actually draws back and blinks at the half-Fey – _Lu Han_ , his mind automatically corrects – because he hadn't been expecting that. But the knowledge that Lu Han can potentially read into his mind has Yifan growing cautious, though, and he deliberately clears his thoughts, the way he'd been trained to do so when he was fifteen, in order to keep his mind on sharpening up his battle skills. Judging by the troubled look on Lu Han's face moments later, Yifan knows that he's successful at that, at least.

"I will ask you this one last time," Yifan begins again, voice stern, though he's glad that Junmyeon hasn't resorted to pulling out Shoftiel as part of the interrogation session, because he really doesn't like intimidating others into talking under the threat of a weapon unless he absolutely needs to. "Why do you always appear in the compound whenever we're fighting against a demon? Do you, or do you not have a hand in this?"

"Even if I said I didn't, you wouldn't believe me, would you? Seeing that I'm half-Fey and all?" Lu Han challenges back with a smirk, and Sicheng, who'd been curiously silent as he watches the exchange between Yifan and Lu Han, actually _sniggers_ at the comment, to which Qian Kun quickly clears his throat to dispel the awkwardness. Yifan can feel his own cheeks warming up, because that's what he's been told all his life – that the Fairfolk constantly dip their words in half-truths, misleading others for their own benefit. Lu Han may be half-Nephilim, but Yifan can never be sure how much of the Fairfolk's traits he's inherited from one of his parents.

"Then prove that you don't," Yifan says, tipping his chin upwards and sending Lu Han a haughty look. He has no time for games, especially one that he has to play with a half-Fey. Lu Han could be guiding them around in circles while the rest of his brethren plot the Shadowhunters' demise, for all he knew.

"And if I don't want to?" Lu Han asks, the smirk still plastered on his face as he holds Yifan's gaze. It's piercing, and Yifan doesn't like it at all. "You can kill me if you're so suspicious of me; I know you and your friend here wants to." Seeing that Song Qian and Amber have not relinquished their hold on him, Lu Han inclines his head towards Junmyeon instead, who clenches his jaw and inhales sharply at the comment. "But if you do that, you'll have the blood of the rest of the Shadowhunters on your hands. You know what the Accords dictate; the Fairfolk may no longer be under the direct protection of the Clave, but it doesn't mean that they won't retaliate when you kill one of theirs, which you clearly think _I_ am. So go ahead, kill me, and you'll never get the truth."

Shoftiel is out in the open when Yifan blinks next, and Junmyeon surges forth, wanting to get his hands on Lu Han. "How _dare_ you–"

Yifan is quick to stop Junmyeon from advancing with an outstretched arm. Junmyeon's usually more level-headed than this, and it confuses Yifan somewhat. He'll have to talk to Junmyeon in private, later. His _parabatai_ only huffs in frustration, but backs off nonetheless. He's not one to go against the orders of the son of the Beijing Enclave's head, seeing that Junmyeon always sticks to tradition. Sometimes, Yifan thinks that Junmyeon is more suited for the role of the Wu family's son than he is; while it's true that Yifan respects the Shadowhunters' tradition, he'd also go against them if he found them to be unreasonable, earning his father's disdain a lot more than is necessary.

"Enough. Let him go," Yifan says with quiet authority that even the vampires are glancing up at him in confusion, but they obey him regardless. Song Qian and Amber are behind Yifan in a flash, standing alongside Qian Kun and Sicheng who are still keeping their wary eyes on Lu Han. He can almost taste the distrust in the air, all aimed at the half-Fey standing before them, but Yifan chooses to ignore it while suppressing his own urge to take Lu Han into custody until they can learn of his true intentions. It won't be a pretty sight, when Lu Han's close allies in the Faerie Realm – _if_ he even has them; Yifan wouldn't know – learns of his capture and wages war against the Nephilim. The relationship between the Nephilim and the Fairfolk is a fragile one indeed, especially so after the Dark War had ended and the Cold Peace had begun. Yifan would rather not be the one who tips the scale over. He might not be able to live it down, ever.

"Surprisingly docile, you are," Lu Han comments as he dusts the non-existent lint off his clothes, and the words leave a bitter aftertaste on Yifan's tongue. "What's wrong? Can't stomach the idea of the Fairfolk's possibly retaliation?"

Yifan clenches his jaw and ignores the jab. "You're free to go. But the moment that I'm convinced that you pose a threat to the Nephilim and the other Downworlders, I _will not_ hesitate to cut you down with my blade," he warns.

The weight of Yifan's words hangs heavily in the air between them, but Lu Han doesn't seem affected when he walks backwards into the darkness, all while smiling at the group the whole time. The idea that Lu Han doesn't turn his back on them, just for the sake of taunting them further is not lost on Yifan, though, and it makes Yifan wonder just where the half-Fey had gotten his courage from.

With a jaunty wave of his fingers, Lu Han disappears into the night, but not before telling them, "I'll keep that in mind."

The soreness in his jaw that invades his senses later on is the only indication of how hard he'd been grinding his teeth together all through this.

✩

A startling mixture of lilac and aquamarine greets him the moment Lu Han steps out of the void, before he manages to focus on the rest of the person with pointed ears in front of him. It's not long before Lu Han notices the scowl the man's wearing, and Lu Han replies with a frown of his own, anticipating what's to come in the next couple of seconds.

Sure enough, the nagging starts once the portal behind him shuts close, and no one stumbles onto the clearing right after Lu Han.

"Are you _insane_? I thought you were going to get yourself _killed_ out there!" The man hisses at him, to which Lu Han sighs in response. It's already exhausting enough that he had to pretend to be all smug in front of the Shadowhunters earlier, when it isn't even in his personality to act in such a manner. He doesn't want to have to deal with his friend's emotional outburst on top of that.

"Baekhyun, relax. I'm here now, aren't I?" Lu Han reassures him with a wide smile, hoping it'll be enough to pacify his friend.

Unlike Lu Han, Baekhyun is a pureblooded Faerie who holds an important position on the Seelie Court. It's only by a stroke of luck that they could be friends at all, and even then their friendship is considered one that's mind-boggling to the rest of the Fairfolk. It is, after all, a friendship which was made through unadulterated sincerity alone, instead of a bond between a Faerie and a hybrid that's been forged through a Fey's trickery. They're not all that welcomed in the Faerie Realm, half-Nephilim like Lu Han, and that leaves them suspended in a no-man's land, neither belonging to the Shadowhunters or the Fey, unless they pledge their allegiance to the Seelie Court.

Lu Han's mother forbade his father and him from doing so, even though she's a member of the Seelie Court herself. None of the Fey had forced his family to yield, despite the fact that they're considered important assets to their kind should the Fey be able to convince them to swear their loyalty to the Faerie Realm.

After all, Lu Han's mother is – was – the Crown Princess of the Seelie Court, before she had relinquished her right to the throne. She's too much in love with Lu Ming, and would loathe the idea of seeing her own kind manipulate her family to their own satisfaction. No, Fan Biyu is a part of the new generation of Faeries who didn't necessarily side with the rest of their brethren or agree with their ideals, and isn't afraid of speaking out when she has to.

Baekhyun doesn't seem amused at Lu Han's reassurance, but Lu Han doesn't blame him for it. He's been tailing after Lu Han for weeks, and Baekhyun knows that Lu Han has been making a trip to the Mundane world at every chance he gets. Baekhyun also knows that Lu Han has stayed out of trouble in all the times he's been watching the Nephilim bring down demons with the help of the Night Children, save for that first trip where he had almost been caught, but it doesn't mean that Baekhyun approves of his actions. Actually getting captured by the pair of Nephilim tonight was probably the last straw for Baekhyun.

Funny; and here Lu Han thought Baekhyun's the more reckless one between them both.

"Yeah, but you also have a death threat hanging above your head," Baekhyun reminds him, yelling in indignation when Lu Han takes off in the direction of his home without Baekhyun. "We're supposed to stay out of sight, _away_ from the Mundane world."

Lu Han throws a look over his shoulder, and sticks his tongue out at the Fey. "That has never stopped you from watching that Shadowhunter from the void, has it? What's his name again? Jongin?" He knows how infatuated Baekhyun is with the Nephilim, having observed him fighting with grace and precision once. The elegance and finesse with which the Shadowhunters fight is enthralling; Lu Han can vouch for that. He can only aspire to be as good as they are one day, when he's finally allowed to wield a seraph blade again.

Baekhyun's cheeks colour at the mention of Jongin's name, making a strangled noise of embarrassment, but he doesn't let up on his argument. "At least he doesn't know that I exist! You got _caught_."

"It's not a big deal," Lu Han shrugs nonchalantly. "They can't do anything to me, as long as they can't find hardcore evidence that I mean harm to them and the rest of the Downworlders. Which–" he fixes Baekhyun with a look when the Fey tries to protest. "–I will never, anyway. You know why I'm making these trips to the Mundane realm, and it's definitely not to start a fight with the Nephilim. I'm not stupid."

Besides, it's not as though Lu Han could see himself doing that. Wu Yifan is much too interesting a person; no one else could block Lu Han out of their heads as easily as Wu Yifan had, and Lu Han finds that he wants to learn more about the Nephilim.

Thankfully, his words manage to pacify Baekhyun at last, and Baekhyun merely grumbles as he follows after Lu Han, swearing that he'll let Biyu know the moment her son does something stupidly dangerous. Lu Han only smiles at the threat, but says nothing more about the subject. Instead, he wraps an arm around Baekhyun's shoulders, and drags Baekhyun the rest of the distance to his home with the promise of a good dinner.

Baekhyun doesn't bring the matter up again.

✩

Yifan buries himself nose-deep in books the moment he returns to the Institute, immediately after stripping himself of his weapons and leaving them at the armoury. There are questions about the Fey he needs answers to, but there's no way he's going to get them from his father without alarming the man in the process.

Yifan has, after all, never asked his parents about the nearly-forgotten Downworlders, preferring to keep the out of sight, out of mind mentality. It _would_ seem weird if he suddenly had a vested interest in the Fey, and Yifan isn't sure if he'll have the answers for his father's questions. Besides, the Institute's library is filled to the brim with hundreds of copies of books written on the Nephilim and the Downworlders alike, and Yifan is hell-bent on finding the information he needs on his own effort.

Junmyeon joins him much later, still wearing his black hunting gear, arms bared to the night air without his jacket covering him, and a deep frown is etched on his face as he eyes Yifan. Out of the two, Junmyeon is the better scholar, and Yifan certainly hopes that his _parabatai_ is willing enough to help him out this time. They aren't sworn brothers for nothing, perhaps even more than that. The _parabatai_ bond is one of the strongest bonds that can be forged between two members of the Nephilim, after all. "What are you doing that's so important, to the point of not being bothered to go to bed? It's not like you to miss your sleep in favour of books."

Yifan raises his gaze and flashes a tired smile at Junmyeon. They're all exhausted from fighting the pair of Elapid demons that evening, Yifan is sure – can even feel the dull ache gnawing at his bones – but his mind is buzzing with way too many questions for him to rest well, or to even have the appetite to eat. "There's something about the half-Fey that I need to find out about. Usually when they're not pureblooded, and especially when they possess Nephilim blood, they shouldn't be able to use such high level magic and create portals to move between areas. Lu Han is clearly different," he tells Junmyeon, knowing that his friend would not laugh at him for harbouring such thoughts.

His words had Junmyeon listening attentively, and his _parabatai_ drops himself in the chair across Yifan, expressions serious. "What does this mean, then? Have you gotten anything substantial from your reading?" He asks, and Yifan casts a look at the books scattered across the floor around his armchair.

Three hours and twenty tomes later, Yifan still hasn't stumbled upon any information considered valuable enough for him to stop and peruse. Even then, Yifan doesn't know what _exactly_ he's looking for, either. His knowledge about the Fey is basic at best, though he supposes he'll have to learn more about them, now that there's a potential threat hanging above their heads.

"Not really. No one ever writes about the half-Nephilim, half-Fey hybrids, it seems," Yifan replies, worrying on his bottom lip with a frown. The sun is almost up by now, painting the horizon in breathtaking hues of orange and pink and purple, and he's sure that Henry will tease him for being _such a vampire_ if the other Shadowhunter ever finds out. He'll need to retire to bed before the rest of the Institute awakens, whether he likes it or not, discovery of important information on the Fey notwithstanding. Sleep is already clinging heavily onto his drooping eyelids as it is. "Why are _you_ still up, anyway?"

Yifan's not sure if the rosiness on Junmyeon's cheeks is merely a reflection of the candle's warm orange glow, but he signs it off as a part of his imagination when Junmyeon speaks up with a steady tone, if not a little crusted with sleep. "You're my _parabatai_ , Yifan. Do you think I won't be able to sense your restlessness?" He's leaning forward now, resting his elbows on his knees, and Junmyeon's gaze is almost piercing even in the dim light.

Yifan nods in understanding at Junmyeon's words. True enough, he's had more sleepless nights than one when Junmyeon had been up all night worrying about something he had refused to tell Yifan of even until today, but Yifan has never pried. Everyone's entitled to their own secrets, even between _parabatai_ , so as long the relationship between them isn't affected. He trusts Junmyeon with his life, if it comes down to it, and he trusts that Junmyeon will let him in on his secrets when he's ready.

"I suppose I should call it a day," Yifan eventually sighs, rolling his shoulders to dispel the soreness that has settled, from how Yifan had kept his shoulders hunched for hours on end. It's not a good posture for a Shadowhunter, he can almost hear his mother telling him, but what she doesn't know won't hurt.

What surprises Yifan though, is the way Junmyeon gets up to pluck the book out of Yifan's grip, before letting his hands settle on Yifan's shoulders, kneading the kinks out with expert hands. It's been a while since Junmyeon had last massaged Yifan's shoulders for him, sometimes acting as though the close contact scalded him, but Yifan's glad that Junmyeon's over it by now, and he relaxes into the touch, smiling wistfully.

"You should head upstairs before you fall asleep in here," Junmyeon's whisper is loud in the darkness, and Yifan finds himself nodding absently, the sleep threatening to drag him into its murky depths from how relaxed he's become. "Come on, I'll continue searching with you once you've had enough sleep in your system."

Yifan has never been more pliant than this, letting Junmyeon tug him up from the armchair easily enough, and allowing Junmyeon to guide him with a steady grip on his wrist back to his room. Somehow, Junmyeon's promise to help is more than enough to reassure him.

✩

Their toughest fight yet comes two months later, when Yifan and Junmyeon find themselves facing up against a Greater Demon.

In all honesty, Yifan thinks they've had it easy all this while, considering the frequency at which the demonic attacks have been occurring, beginning from the Kuri demon they've had to fend off almost three months ago. Sure there were frequent demonic attacks even in the past, but they had been looking at a rate of one every other month and a half, maybe longer previously. At the moment, they have had to hunt down a demon on a weekly basis, and Yifan and Junmyeon aren't even the only Shadowhunters despatched from the Beijing Institute to kill these demons.

As the head of the Beijing Enclave, Yifan's father is constantly worrying about these demonic attacks, because it's simply that rare for the demons to cross over to their realm so frequently. They'd interrogate a demon to gain some information about their intentions if they could, but the Lesser Demons they've faced up against so far do not possess the capacity to relay anything more than a bone-chilling roar. There was nothing else they could do, apart from killing these demons as they cross.

It's just part of Yifan's and Junmyeon's fucked up luck to be met with the sight of smoke and oil when they leap into the narrow alley between two buildings where the demonic activity is through the roof on their sensor, surrounded by more dark, human-sized demons with arms and claws and formless liquid appendages in place of their legs. Even though they have flames coming from their eye sockets licking at the air instead of actual eyes, Yifan's skin crawls at the feeling of being preyed upon by the large group of demons.

And he _knows_ that demons don't usually travel in such large groups, apart from the Greater Demons who would bring their minions along wherever they go.

At the appearance of the pair of Shadowhunters, the Greater Demon and his minions finally abandon the lifeless human body they've been toying with just moments ago, and the clump of ill-formed smoke and oil from before actually reorganises itself, and Yifan feels sick in the stomach when he realises it's Moloch, one of Hell's most fearsome demon warriors.

Even the usually composed Junmyeon lets out an extremely crude curse, while Sicheng and Qian Kun start whispering urgently behind Yifan, before Sicheng disappears into the night, presumably to get reinforcements.

 _Good_ , Yifan thinks, because they're definitely going to need all the help that they can get. Neither him nor Junmyeon have fought against a Greater Demon before, and they don't really know what to expect, apart from the fact that this will be a tough fight.

Moloch's piercing laughter rings through the night air, drowning out even the sound of Beijing's busy traffic in the background. Yifan doesn't hesitate to pull out his seraph blade in warning, and beside him, Junmyeon does the same, bathing the darkened alley in a warm, bright glow.

"Foolish Shadowhunters!" The demon booms, and Yifan wonders if it's a good idea to attempt to get some answers out of Moloch. "Do you really think you can fight _me_ with just the three of you?"

Around Moloch, his demonic minions are leaping about excitedly, cackling while awaiting orders from their master for them to maul Yifan, Junmyeon, and Qian Kun to death. Yifan tightens his grip on Cassiel. He hopes Sicheng has made it back to the Institute to warn the rest of what had happened by now, and hopefully bring more of the Night Children and the werewolves along with him.

"Who summoned you?" Junmyeon calls out, Shoftiel held in his right hand in warning, and Yifan realises he has a pretty good point. Unlike Lesser Demons who scamper across the boundaries and cross over to the Mundane Realm on their own will, Greater Demons aren't usually this reckless, preferring instead to stay within the gates of Hell and let their minions do their bidding. For a Greater Demon to appear like Moloch had, they'd usually require summoning from a being who can do magic, and in Yifan's books, it can only be one of two: a Warlock, or a Fey.

Yifan doesn't like what his mind is suggesting at all.

Moloch cackles again just then, pulling Yifan out of his thoughts. "That is for me to know, Shadowhunter. I would suggest that you lay down your weapons and accept your defeat, for you will never be able to beat me."

If there's one thing a Shadowhunter will not do, it's to surrender to a demon without putting in a fight. Junmyeon makes this known with a loud hiss, and he surges forth with Shoftiel held in an arm's length away. "Over our dead bodies!"

Moloch's minions excitedly scamper forth at the first sign of hostility from the demon-hunting group of three, and Yifan realises belatedly just how many of them are there, having been clumped together at first with their almost formless bodies. It doesn't matter, though; they _will_ cut down every single demon that comes in their way, until none of them are left standing. Yifan leaps out of the way when some of the Moloch demons shoot fireballs out of their eyes, scorching the tarred road with hellfire and leaving melted potholes in the ground, and he swings Cassiel in a large, graceful arc as he slides across the ground, cutting down three of the demons at once.

On his other side, Junmyeon is hacking down the group of demons that crowd around him, swiftly killing each one that gets near enough to him with their claws bared, the light emitting from Shoftiel painting a beautiful pattern in the night. He gets nicked in the shoulder some point in time, but Junmyeon bears it with a quiet grunt, drawing an _iratze_ rune on his abdomen with his stele to heal the cut as he continues to slice through the demons who aren't letting up on their attacks at all.

Qian Kun himself is busy hacking down demons with his sharp nails, dashing through the Moloch demons who continue to cackle away, as if unable to sense their impending doom. Clearly they do not understand what a threat Qian Kun can be, or how fast the vampire is able to move. They only realise that Qian Kun isn't a mere human much later, when their comrade are being felled like flies, and they finally approach Qian Kun with caution, preferring instead to shoot fireballs at him. Qian Kun sidesteps them easily enough, a feral, bloodthirsty grin on his face as he continues to turn the demons into dust.

It's a good thing that Moloch holds on to a secret moral code – ironic, considering the fact that he's a demon – of not attacking while his minions are trying to fend Yifan and the rest of his party off, because his demonic army are already a handful as it is. Yifan's still slicing through heads and stabbing his seraph blade into the demons' torsos, keeping a watchful eye on Moloch as he does so. At least he doesn't have to worry about fighting against Moloch while his minions are trying to clamber on top of them, but avoiding the demons' fireballs are enough of a chore, when there's so many of them around.

It seems to take an entire night before they manage to subdue the Lesser Demons from the sheer amount of them, and by the time they're faced up against Moloch, Yifan and Junmyeon are already panting heavily, trying to catch their breaths and wiping their faces down with the scratchy material of their tops, the sweat dripping down the sides of their faces and drenching their clothes. There's still no signs of reinforcements, and Yifan wonders if Sicheng had run into trouble.

He definitely doesn't pause to wonder where Lu Han is, either. The half-Fey hasn't been spotted thus far, which seems weird enough to Yifan, but he's in no position to worry about it right now.

"Not bad for a petty group of Shadowhunters like you," Moloch says, his formless mouth momentarily taking the shape of a sinister laugh complete with sharp fangs before it disappears. "You may have defeated my minions, but will you be able to defeat _me_?"

"We're about to find out," Yifan merely says, before he charges towards Moloch with Cassiel in his grip, but not after he exchanges a silent nod with Junmyeon.

Junmyeon falls back and pulls out his bow and arrows, aiming it directly in the direction where Moloch's head is supposed to be. They've covered the basics of fighting against a formless demon during their training at the Institute, and their trainer had told them that it's important for at least one of them to keep a distance from these demons, to prevent the demon from harming them both at the same time. They can never estimate how far the demon is able to reach, after all. It may sound cruel, but losing one Shadowhunter is infinitely better than losing two, especially considering their dwindling numbers. And since Junmyeon is better at using the bow compared to Yifan, he's naturally the better choice at staying back.

Qian Kun is quick to back Yifan up, however, taking the demon's back while Yifan keeps it busy up front. It's definitely a challenge, when the smoke and oil body of Moloch extends into numerous thin tendrils at will, whipping and lashing out at the pair who's trying in vain to surround him. Qian Kun receives several hits to his body in the process, though with the vampire blood flowing in his veins, his wounds heal up quickly enough for him to ignore them, concentrating instead on slashing Moloch as many times as he possibly can, darting back and forth to keep Moloch occupied.

Yifan, on the other hand, has his own limitations. Even though he's managed to cut off a good number of Moloch's slick appendages, he's also sustained a huge amount of cuts all over his body. He's forced to bow off to the side upon sustaining a deep gash across his abdomen, gritting his teeth as he presses a palm against the wound to stem the bleeding while he fumbles around his pocket for his stele.

"Yifan! Are you fine?" Junmyeon roars from behind, and Yifan pushes his pained expression away, managing a firm nod at his _parabatai_. The gash is deep, almost injuring one of his organs, but Yifan doesn't want Junmyeon to be distracted from fighting against the demon just to worry about Yifan's condition. He won't be able to live it down.

"I'll be fine in a moment, just need to get a rune up," he replies, and Junmyeon flashes a tight smile at Yifan as he releases a succession of three arrows at Moloch.

Junmyeon's quick to take Yifan's previous position before the demon, though, seeing that his arrows aren't working on Moloch as well as they had initially hoped. There's a reason why they've sworn to be _parabatai_ ; Yifan and Junmyeon have been training together for years, and are extremely well-versed with the way the other person fights. There isn't a need for words between them during the battle against a demon, because they know exactly how they're supposed to complement the other, covering up their weak spots perfectly and allowing these demons no room to injure them seriously. _Soulmates_ , some people have called them, but Yifan would like to think that him and Junmyeon are destined to fight beside each other.

Just as Yifan manages to draw up an _iratze_ to tend to his injuries, a loud curse coming from _Qian Kun_ , of all people, catches his attention and makes him whip his head up. He watches wide-eyed when Junmyeon is hit right across his chest by a partially severed smoke tendril of Moloch's, sending the man sailing through the air and colliding hard against the brick wall of the building behind them. Yifan's blood goes cold when Junmyeon doesn't move for a long while, especially when he realises there's ichor leaking out from the tendril which had connected with Junmyeon's flesh. The implication hits him a lot later.

 _Fuck_ –

" _Watch out_!" A loud yell coming from a completely unfamiliar voice manages to rip Yifan's attention away from Junmyeon's still, prone form in the distance, and his heart momentarily stops beating when he realises belatedly that there's another larger tendril coming down from above. He's going to have his head split in half–

And then the unthinkable happens, when a seraph blade and a head of blond air fills his visual field, successfully blocking Moloch's tendril from even touching Yifan. Yifan's still watching, stunned, when the newcomer gracefully spins in his position, slicing off more of Moloch's smoky tendrils as they come. It's not until Yifan fleetingly catches the sight of dark brown and sapphire irises that he realises it's _Lu Han_ who had helped him, and he's currently using Junmyeon's Shoftiel to fend off Moloch's attacks.

"Wu Yifan!" Both Qian Kun and Lu Han yells into the night, jolting Yifan out of his shocked state, but it's Lu Han who keeps talking. "What in the Angel's name are you doing? If you don't get your ass off the ground and fight we'll all be dead in the next couple of minutes!"

It's precisely the scolding Yifan needs to pick up his seraph blade from the ground, and a blinding flash of light practically bursts forth from Cassiel, almost red hot to the touch, a reflection of the anger Yifan feels deep within towards Moloch for having injured Junmyeon. He dashes forth once again, seraph blade held in a backhanded grip, and together with Lu Han, they slash at Moloch continuously from the front, while Qian Kun resumes his attacks from behind, leaving Moloch no room to retaliate.

By then, Yifan had realised that Moloch's form grows progressively smaller whenever they severe a portion of his tendrils off him. The severed portions would turn into dust, and Moloch doesn't seem to be able to regenerate parts of his body at will. His roars of frustration pierce through the night, though it only serves to spur Yifan on, wanting to end the Greater Demon as fast as he possibly can, so that he can attend to his fallen comrade. He continues to cut at Moloch, lips pressed into a firm line in concentration, though he can see Lu Han fighting Moloch from the corner of his eyes, and he can't say he's not intrigued.

"Aim for its abdomen!" Another voice shouts from behind, and Yifan sighs in relief when he recognises the owner. It's Seulgi, female alpha of the werewolves in Beijing. Reinforcements have finally arrived, and Yifan barely staves off the smirk that forms on his face when a couple of werewolves and vampires leap past him to get to Moloch, Sicheng being one of them. Yifan also catches sight of Wendy and Irene with their seraph blades, and he knows that the fight is finally over.

Moloch is defeated soon enough, though unfortunately without them being able to get the information they needed out of him, but Yifan is more than glad to watch it fade to dust. At least he knows that Moloch won't be setting foot in the Mundane Realm for the next couple of centuries at the very least, since his physical body would be scattered all across the void between Hell and the Mundane Realm. It would take a long time before he'll be able to piece himself together again, even with the amount of demonic energy at his perusal in the Void.

It takes Yifan all but five seconds after Moloch's defeat to deactivate Cassiel and run towards where Junmyeon remains prone on the floor. He's barely even breathing when Yifan gets to him, the gash on his chest having turned a nasty shade of purple, and Yifan shakes Junmyeon's limp body hard, trying to get his _parabatai_ to wake up.

"Junmyeon! Kim Junmyeon!" Yifan shouts in anguish, quickly drawing up multiple _iratze_ runes on every inch of skin he can find on Junmyeon, hoping that it'll help heal his injured friend. He's muttering a feverish prayer beneath his breath as he does so, only to curse in frustration when Junmyeon doesn't seem to be any closer to regaining his consciousness. "Fuck!" He seethes. "Why the fuck isn't this working?!"

That's when someone places their hand on Yifan's shoulder, and he nearly shrugs it off in agitation, looking up to meet Lu Han's dark brown and sapphire eyes peering back at him. "The demon's poison has spread throughout his body. The _iratze_ won't work," he tells Yifan, tone surprisingly soft for the amount of hostility Yifan has shown him in the last couple of months. It makes Yifan feel guilty and suspicious at the same time.

"What are you trying to imply?" Yifan asks cautiously, grip on Junmyeon still firm. He's not oblivious to the drop in Junmyeon's skin temperature, and Yifan knows they need to do something immediately before he loses his _parabatai_ to demon poison forever. The panic is clouding his judgement, however, and Yifan can't seem to think straight.

"He needs help from a Warlock, or he's going to die. You _know_ that," Lu Han says again, and Yifan grows impossibly stiff at the suggestion.

The Cold Peace didn't only estrange the Shadowhunters from the Fairfolk, but also the Warlocks. The Nephilim aren't exactly the best of friends with the Warlocks even before the Dark War had taken place, but the Cold Peace had further worsened the relationship between the two beings. It's no secret that the Warlocks did not approve of the contents of the Cold Peace, citing that the sanctions under the New Accords against the Faerie were a blatant disregard of the entire race. Yifan himself has never sought a Warlock out for a favour, having been banned from doing so by his father. Seeking help from a Warlock right now would mean having to strip himself of his pride–

"Fuck you and your stupid fucking pride!" Lu Han yells at him just then, and Yifan remembers belatedly that the half-Fey is completely capable of reading his thoughts. "Do you want to save your friend, or do you want to let him die because you're much too proud to even ask for help?!"

Yifan makes his decision in an instant.

✩

_You owe me, Nephilim._

The words are constantly swirling about in his mind as Yifan waits, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and posture stiff from worry.

It's been close to three hours since Yifan had set foot into this swanky upscale apartment located in the heart of Beijing, cradling a bloodied and unconscious Junmyeon in his arms, two since Han Geng, the High Warlock of Beijing, had agreed to heal Junmyeon with his magic. Apart from the occasional shouts that belong to Junmyeon and more chanting interspersed in between, the apartment has been eerily silent otherwise. It definitely doesn't help that Han Geng has decided to decorate his apartment with various oddities, mostly severed limbs of various critters preserved in clear glass containers, as well as several human skulls placed on various surfaces. While Yifan knows that Warlocks would require them as ingredients to cast their spells, it still doesn't stop the crawl beneath his skin.

Lu Han is lounging in a carefree manner in the maroon settee to Yifan's right, legs draped across the seat as he rests his chin on the backrest, his gaze focused on Beijing's polluted skyline outside. Dawn is just about to break, filling the sky with warm hues of orange and yellow, its beauty marred by the thick layer of smog which never seems to dissipate. They haven't exchanged a single word since Lu Han had helped Yifan out in the darkened alley earlier, saving Yifan from being killed by Moloch just in the nick of time.

He's earned every right to throw those words at Yifan, because Yifan certainly does owe Lu Han a lot from one night alone, but Lu Han wasn't the one who said them to Yifan. It had been Han Geng, with his catlike pupils of blue and green narrowed at Yifan when Yifan had requested for his help, who had uttered them. He supposes Han Geng has the right to demand that Yifan repaid him too; Yifan honestly doesn't know what he'll do if he lost Junmyeon to the demonic poison. As it is, it feels as though a large hole has been gouged out of his chest, reflecting the pain that Junmyeon must be experiencing at this very moment.

No; perhaps it doesn't even come close.

"Why did you help me?" Yifan finds himself asking, voice distant even to his own ears. He doesn't look at Lu Han, but he can feel Lu Han's gaze burning into him regardless.

"And just why not?" Lu Han questions, his words soft. Yifan thinks about the way Lu Han had fought Moloch earlier, each move precise yet refined, and he squeezes his eyes shut, hoping to chase away the recollections. He stops short of perceiving Lu Han's form as _beautiful_ , even though it's exactly what it is.

"Because you're–" The words are out of his mouth before Yifan can truly think it through, and he pauses, raking through his head for something proper to say.

Lu Han cuts him off before he manages to do so, however. "Because I'm half-Fey?" He asks, the mockery filling his words, and Yifan's head snaps up to look at Lu Han. All he sees is the incredulity on Lu Han's face, and suddenly Yifan feels like the most terrible person ever to walk the earth. "I guess all Shadowhunters are the same. Always quick to jump to conclusions, always generalising."

Lu Han's tirade doesn't stop there. "Having Fey blood in me doesn't mean that I automatically subscribe to evil notions, you know. In fact, not all of the Fairfolk follow the immorality of Hell, even though they're not all saints. But of course, pureblooded Nephilim like you wouldn't know, since you're not even bothered to learn more about the Fairfolk, deciding instead to follow whatever rubbish your ancestors have decided to feed you with. I don't even know why I bothered to extend my help to such ungrateful beings like you!"

Lu Han crosses his arms in front of his chest when he's done, breathing heavily from anger, and the awkward silence quickly fills up the spaces between them. Yifan's left blinking in confusion at Lu Han while the other man's words sink in, but when he realises the logic behind Lu Han's words, Yifan's cheeks flame up from embarrassment for even implying such a thing. Lu Han's right; he doesn't know the first thing about the Fairfolk, or even about hybrids like Lu Han – going through the books written by _Nephilim_ about the Fairfolk has proven to be a useless affair, when everything's but a one-sided account. Yifan can't even begin counting the amount of times he's seen the words _little is known about the Fairfolk and their internal affairs_ written in neat print across the pages of the books in the library back in the Institute.

In the end, Yifan sighs, and hangs his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. I just–" He pauses again, swallows nervously, hoping that his words won't be misconstrued by Lu Han this time. "I don't know much about your kind, and it's difficult for me to break the mould crafted by my ancestors about the Fairfolk."

The Fey are proud people; they would do anything to turn the tables on the Shadowhunters for their disrespect. Yifan has been told that by his parents over the years, but he begins to wonder if it's really true, after all. If the Fey did indeed hate them so much, and the half-Fey, half-Nephilim beings shared the same sentiments, Lu Han wouldn't have lent him or Junmyeon a helping hand. Two Shadowhunters less in the world would be a greater blessing for the Fairfolk, should they decide to exact revenge on them after all these years.

Lu Han scrunches his nose, but there's no heat in his words when he speaks next. "It's fine. I know you're worrying about Junmyeon. I'll be more than happy if you decide to learn more about the Fairfolk before jumping into unfair conclusions. Not all of them are bad; I can vouch for it."

Somehow, Lu Han's words bring a small smile to Yifan's face. "I can see that now," he admits, and when Lu Han stares at him in surprise, Yifan quickly changes the subject. "How did you learn to fight like that, by the way?

Again, Lu Han scrunches his nose at the question. Yifan wonders if it's a habit of Lu Han's when he's embarrassed by what he's about to say. "My father's very much a Nephilim at heart, even with his marriage to my mother. His loyalty towards the Shadowhunters has never wavered, even though it's been years since he was exiled from the ranks of the Nephilim, just because of his association to my mother," he explains in a small voice, and Yifan can see the admiration Lu Han holds for his parents. "My mother has never forced us to swear our allegiance to the Fairfolk despite everything that has happened, either. She may be the Crown Princess of the Seelie Court before her marriage to my father, but it doesn't mean that she condones what her race had done during the Dark War either."

Yifan's just as taken aback by how easily Lu Han is offering the information about his mother to him as he is with the revelation that Lu Han's mother was the Crown Princess of the Seelie Court, and he jerks in surprise, only to groan aloud when a sharp pain comes from the direction of his heavily bandaged abdomen. Right; Yifan had forgotten all about the wound that Moloch had inflicted on him. The demon's poison may not have made its way to Yifan's bloodstream as Junmyeon's had, but it doesn't mean that the _iratze_ rune is working well enough with the damage done by a Greater Demon as it should. It's still taking a much longer time for the gash to heal, and Yifan mentally reminds himself to not make any big movements.

"Why are you telling me this, when you barely even know me?" Yifan questions, and Lu Han merely flashes him a bright smile that has Yifan doing a double take at how brilliant it is, even in the dimly lit apartment of Han Geng's.

"I have to offer something personal in exchange for your trust, do I not?"

✩

Thankfully, Junmyeon makes it through the gruesome healing ritual in one piece. He's a little worse for the wear when he finally awakes from his coma, but at least he's spared of an early admittance to the City of Bones. It makes Yifan more willing to hand over the locket under the possession of the Beijing Institute, which Han Geng had demanded as payment for his services. He'll bear the consequences of his actions (namely his father's wrath, because the locket is deemed an important artefact to the Nephilim) later, _if_ they find out, because Yifan can't possibly sit back and watch Junmyeon lose his life when he can do something about it.

Junmyeon wasn't the happiest person around, though, when he discovered what Yifan had done to save him. _You should never have received help from a half-Fey and gotten yourself indebted to a Warlock, of all people_ , Junmyeon had hissed at him even though Han Geng was within earshot, before groaning aloud when the pain flared from his partially-healed injuries. Yifan wasn't having any of it, though, firmly pushing Junmyeon back down onto the bed and making sure he stays put to rest. He _did_ use some of that sleeping powder Han Geng had offered him, but Junmyeon doesn't have to know that, either.

Even though Yifan had been extremely suspicious of Lu Han's intentions at first, he finds himself loosening up the more he speaks to Lu Han and learns about the other man. Lu Han had been quick to reassure Yifan that he hasn't violated the Accords – inheriting half his bloodline from a Fey meant that he didn't know where exactly he stood in the Accords – insisting that he would usually train with his father using fallen branches from trees and nothing deadlier than that. His panicked expressions were hilarious, and despite how tightly wound Yifan had been because of the Greater Demon attack and Junmyeon being gravely injured, Lu Han had managed to coax a hearty laugh out of him.

He certainly doesn't intentionally commit Lu Han's look of amazement to memory, but the mere thought of it has Yifan smiling to himself, sometimes.

Yifan also finds out that Lu Han and his family do not stay in the Faerie Realm, but rather a secluded countryside where only they know of. No one would have access to the location, if they hadn't an idea where it is, and Lu Han accomplishes this by creating a portal that links between his current location to home. The basis of his abilities comes from his mother being a royalty in the Seelie Court, which meant that she possesses magical powers strong enough to be passed on down to her offspring, despite Lu Han being only half-Fey.

Lu Han also tells Yifan – a little sadly, if Yifan might add – that his only friends are several pureblooded Fey who share the same ideals as his mother, because he's never met anyone like him, caught in a limbo between the Nephilim and the Fey owing to his bloodline. The Nephilim, apart from Yifan, naturally will not be welcoming of him, considering what had entailed from the Cold Peace and what has been accrued by the new Accords, and the Fairfolk have never been particularly good friends with the other Downworlders either.

That's when an impulsive thought crosses Yifan's mind, between him putting Junmyeon out like a light until the next time his _parabatai_ regains his consciousness, better healed but no less upset with Yifan, and offers to train Lu Han in the arts of being a Shadowhunter. Yifan can see the potential in Lu Han, even if he cannot be Marked for fear of arousing the suspicion of the Silent Brothers. At the very least, he's around to supervise Lu Han when the man is wielding a seraph blade, and he'll kill Lu Han the moment he deems the man a threat to the Nephilim.

As things are now, Yifan thinks it'll be safe.

Lu Han's features positively brightens up when Yifan brings up the suggestion, a broad smile finding its place on Lu Han's face, and Yifan finds his breath hitching at the excited gleam in Lu Han's eyes, his mismatched irises no longer making Yifan squirm in discomfort after having seen them up close in the last couple of days. In fact, they even seem to draw Yifan in even more.

Then again, he's not quite ready to learn what it means, exactly.

✩

"I _swear_ –" Baekhyun starts the moment Lu Han emerges through the portal, and Lu Han's hand goes right up to massage at his own temples, feeling the impending headache assaulting him. "–you are going to give me a heart attack one of these days, and I'm going to haunt you forevermore if you make me die young."

On hindsight, Lu Han _did_ neglect to let Baekhyun know what he'd been up to several nights ago, when he'd escaped to the Mundane Realm to watch the Shadowhunters fight. He can feel the rise of demonic activity as it happens, and knows that the Shadowhunters – or more specifically, Wu Yifan and Kim Junmyeon, as Lu Han had discovered after a brief journey through their minds – would definitely be around to deal with them, which is why he's able to appear at the exact location whenever the demons cross over. It's a usual activity for him, just to fill his time, but Lu Han didn't expect that he actually had to jump into the thick of the fight, narrowly saving Yifan from being butchered by Moloch. Needing to save Junmyeon's life after that by requesting Han Geng's assistance and ending up having to stay in his apartment for several days was also an added complication which Lu Han hadn't foreseen.

Lu Han stops short of groaning out loud when he remembers how Han Geng had eyed him sceptically the moment Lu Han had appeared at his doorstep with two injured Shadowhunters in tow – one grievously so. Han Geng had agreed to patch Junmyeon up, only because he and Han Geng were well-acquainted due to his mother's friendship with the Warlock, but Han Geng also made sure to inform Lu Han that Biyu was definitely going to hear of this incident. He just hopes that his mother won't disown him the moment he sets foot in the house for associating himself with the Nephilim.

The irony is still not lost on Lu Han. Baekhyun is supposed to be the bigger prankster and the more reckless one of them both, yet here he is, nagging at Lu Han for disappearing for days on end. It's a bit laughable, really.

"I'm back safe now, aren't I?" Lu Han grins back, though the entire exchange is a reminiscent of that first time Lu Han was captured by the Nephilim when Baekhyun merely shows him his unimpressed face. "I wasn't up to mischief. Not really."

Baekhyun's scowl only deepens. "You must think I'm a special kind of idiotic Faerie who can't manipulate nature into doing my bidding," he deadpans, and already Lu Han wants to search for an escape route, knowing what's coming for him. "I saw you, in Han Geng's apartment. With that Nephilim. Wu Yifan, was it?"

Lu Han doesn't know why, but he blushes involuntarily at the mere mention of Yifan's name. The last couple of days had been almost dreamlike, for Lu Han to be able to spend it in such close proximity with a Nephilim of good standing like Yifan. He's learned a lot about the current affairs in the Shadowhunters' world – a world which Lu Han was previously only allowed a brief glimpse into, through the words of his father and the words printed in the precious books stashed away in their library – over the span of a few days, courtesy of Yifan. To be completely honest, Lu Han hadn't expected for Yifan to be so forthcoming with the information, considering how Yifan had still been wary of Lu Han on the day they had fought against Moloch _together_ , but he's not complaining.

(He doesn't admit this to Baekhyun, but he likes the way the word _together_ sounds in his head. It's a good thing Baekhyun can't read into his thoughts like Lu Han can, or the Faerie will positively _murder_ him for it.)

But herein lies the problem: Lu Han's thirst for knowledge about the Nephilim has intensified, and he yearns to return to Yifan's side where he can learn even more about the Shadowhunters – the brethren he's been deprived of contact with since he had turned four. He's turning twenty, soon.

Baekhyun's eyes are narrowed into slits when Lu Han catches his own thoughts and remembers belatedly that he wasn't alone. "You're attracted to him, aren't you?" Baekhyun tests, only to squawk loudly as though Lu Han had said something incredibly blasphemous when Lu Han's cheeks turn red. "You're _crazy_! Out of your mind!"

Lu Han pushes Baekhyun's screeching face away from him in annoyance. "I heard you the first time–" he starts, but it doesn't calm Baekhyun down in the least.

"He's part of the people who drove your father into exile, and stripped you of your right to be a Nephilim like you were supposed to be!" Baekhyun continues, and Lu Han's throat constricts at the reminder. His parents have always told him that he should distance himself from the Shadowhunters, because one can never know if the Nephilim have gotten over everything that's been written in the Accords, or if they still perceive everyone who possesses even a single drop of Faerie blood to be traitors, the way the previous Seelie Queen had betrayed the Downworlders and allied herself with Sebastian Morgenstern's twisted ideals. It's more for his protection, really, but Lu Han _doesn't_ want to be protected. Not anymore.

"And he's not judging me for what I am!" Lu Han lashes back, before reeling himself in almost immediately. Baekhyun's the only true friend he has in the Faerie Realm, and it hurts Lu Han to have to argue with him like this. "Baekhyun, I'm half-Nephilim as much as part of me belongs to the Fey. I can't possibly turn a blind eye on the other half of my bloodline, especially when someone is offering to fill in those blanks for me. You're attracted to Jongin too, aren't you? What makes this any different?"

Baekhyun's cheeks colour at the mention of Jongin, and the fight leaves him almost completely. "Jongin's... not the same," he says in a small voice, not really meeting Lu Han's gaze now. "At least I know I won't have a chance with him, that he won't ever give me the time of his day. And I'm _contented_ , damn it. I'm contented enough just to watch him fight and be happy with his life, even if I have to do this from a distance away."

Lu Han wraps his arms around Baekhyun's smaller frame out of impulse, his way of apologising for having lashed out at his friend. It's always like this between the two of them, dispelling the animosity from their arguments by hugging each other, and it has never failed so far. This time is no different, when Baekhyun's arms circle around Lu Han's waist automatically.

"I'm sorry, Baekhyun. I really am," Lu Han says, voice in a bare whisper, because he's never seen Baekhyun this broken before. Baekhyun has always been prideful, headstrong, borderline arrogant even, and would usually refuse to show his weakness to the world, sometimes even to Lu Han, and this is a rather shocking turn of events. It doesn't stop Lu Han from feeling guilty, however. "I shouldn't have made such comments."

Baekhyun shakes his head against Lu Han's chest. "It's fine, I shouldn't have come onto you for wanting to hang out with Wu Yifan when he's so accepting of you. I just wish you'd be careful. Don't get hurt."

Baekhyun's words bring a sincere smile to Lu Han's lips, and he hugs Baekhyun tighter. "I won't let myself get hurt, Baekhyun. I promise."

✩

It's probably a good thing that Yifan's father ruled Junmyeon unfit for missions, leaving Junmyeon confined within the four walls of the Institute until their resident Healer Zhang Liyin deems him healthy enough to continue hunting demons.

He wasn't the happiest, Yifan's father, when he found out what had entailed their mission the other day, because they'd sought a Warlock out for help without consulting Yifan's parents first. Yifan had gotten an earful from his father after Junmyeon was whisked away to the infirmary to get his injuries checked on further, whom had continuously drilled the dangers of accepting help from a _Warlock_ , of all Downworlders, into Yifan's head, mainly because _you'll never know if the Warlock has ulterior motives and would try to weasel more favours out of you when you thought you were done_.

Yifan had listened – rather impatiently, but he doesn't let his annoyance show because his parents have trained him better than this, to keep his emotions under tight wraps and wearing a stoic mask on the outside; people _will_ manipulate him if they find him an easy target – to every word of his father's, if only to appease the older Shadowhunter.

Yifan comes from a long lineage of respectable, formidable, pureblooded Shadowhunters after all, and family honour is placed above everything else – including personal happiness, and sometimes, freedom. The Beijing Institute has been headed by the Wu family for as long as Yifan can remember, portraits of his ancestors lining either side of the walls of the Institute leading from the main entrance. Wu Dingtian – Yifan's father – has held on steadfastly to that legacy, commanding the respect and obedience of all the Shadowhunters in the region, and no one foresees the Wu family being ousted from a position they've held onto for more than a century any time soon. Yifan is being groomed precisely for that reason, to take over the Beijing Institute and eventually the Beijing Enclave when he gains several more years of experience under his belt. That, and the fact that Yifan has to first prove himself worthy of the responsibilities.

Of course, no one speaks of the fact that Wu Dingtian is only barely tolerating the presence of Downworlders milling about in the Institute, if only to honour what the Clave in Alicante had decided upon when they'd established the New Accords after the end of the Dark War. Yifan had caught his father's concealed disgust whenever he walks in upon Yifan being in deep discussion with Qian Kun and Seulgi about yet another demonic attack, noticeable only in the way the corner of his mouth twitches in annoyance when he asks to speak to Yifan in private.

Yifan had never called his father out on it, of course, because he had held on to the tiny sliver of hope that his father would eventually come to see that the Downworlders are sincere in extending their help, that the Nephilim can actually be friends with beings from other races.

Clearly, that's a grave mistake. And Yifan can't even speak out against his own father because it's considered an extremely disrespectful act to go against the head of an Enclave, family member or not. He's only thankful that Junmyeon had agreed to keep Lu Han's role in the entire matter a secret, albeit reluctantly. Yifan dreads to think about what his father might have to say, when and if he finds out that Yifan has been talking to a half-Fey.

Then again, with Junmyeon ruled out of missions in the time being, Yifan had also been allowed to take a brief rest from official Institute matters. They've always preferred to send Shadowhunters out as a unit, and Junmyeon has been his partner for as long as Yifan can remember, even before they'd taken the sacred oath and swore to be each other's _parabatai_. It would be awkward for him to be paired up with another Shadowhunter in the Institute, even if Yifan has known them for years, considering the fact that he's not as well-versed with their fighting styles and vice versa. The risk of committing a mistake is far too great, and the Institute really can't afford to have any more Shadowhunters side-lined, especially after the most recent Greater Demon attack.

Even if they might not show it outwardly, everyone in the Institute is on high alert.

Nevertheless, Yifan grasps this opportunity to repay Lu Han for his help, because he doesn't know when his next chance would come if he lets this slip. He writes a message in the wind, the way Lu Han had taught him to before they had parted ways several days ago, hoping that it'll carry his words to Lu Han just fine.

And work it does, when Lu Han strolls into the clearing of the abandoned park near the outskirts of Beijing where Yifan had been waiting for him, seemingly appearing out of thin air. There's a smile on Lu Han's face that makes his heart skips a beat, a feeling which Yifan conveniently ignores because he doesn't want to think about it. Lu Han's mismatched irises have never made Yifan excited until now, and he almost trips on his own feet in his haste to greet Lu Han.

Unsurprisingly, Lu Han laughs at his clumsiness, the corner of his eyes crinkling in amusement. "Are you sure you're qualified enough to train me? You seem like you're going to end up hurting yourself instead," he teases, and Yifan can feel his cheeks burning in embarrassment. It's a good thing it's dark out right now, but he can never be sure how well Lu Han can see in the night.

"There was a branch hidden in the grass, and I tripped on it," Yifan defends himself, even though it's a complete lie. Judging by the way Lu Han raises an eyebrow and quirks his lips in amusement, he probably knows that, too. Thankfully, Lu Han doesn't call him out on it.

"So," Lu Han starts instead, "what are we going to learn today?" His eyes are glinting with eagerness, and it makes Lu Han look like a child who's about to attend his first training session at the Institute. It reminds Yifan of himself, so many years ago, before he'd gotten jaded from killing one demon after another, hands stained with an obscene amount of ichor but never really able to stem the demonic attacks.

Yifan frowns a little at the question; he hadn't really given it much consideration, honestly, preoccupied instead with the thoughts of meeting Lu Han for the first time outside the battlefield. He blocks Lu Han off from accessing his thoughts, though, and quickly runs through a list of things he'd had to train for back in the institute. "I don't think you'll need much help in sparring, since you probably do enough of that with your father already," he says, and Lu Han nods along thoughtfully. "How about learning the ways of wielding a seraph blade?"

This had Lu Han's eyes widening almost comically, and there's a bit of nervousness in his expressions, something which Yifan is having some degree of difficulty associating it with Lu Han's haughty side that Yifan had witnessed rather frequently. It seems that whatever happened back in Han Geng's apartment while Junmyeon was being healed was making Lu Han drop his guard around Yifan, and for that Yifan is thankful.

"Are you sure about that?" Lu Han asks, and Yifan's almost confused at his uncertainty until he hears the next part of Lu Han's question. "The Accords– I'm not supposed to wield any weapons."

 _Oh_ , right. The Cold Peace had dictated that any of the Fey bearing weapons without Clave approval would lawfully be killed, and that has been Lu Han's main concern ever since he had joined the fight against Moloch. Then again, the Night Children and the werewolves, even Irene and Wendy who were at the scene of the demonic attack hadn't said a word to the Beijing Enclave or to Wu Dingtian, which consoles Yifan at the very least. He knew he could count on them to not expose Lu Han's existence to the higher authorities until they've ascertained his true stance. Even then, they didn't appear to be disapproving of Lu Han either, which is also a good thing in Yifan's books. They could use all the extra help they can get in this fight against the demons, really. They're a common target that threatens the peace they've so painstakingly maintained over the years after all.

That's when an idea clicks in Yifan's mind, and he smiles in reassurance at Lu Han. "You're Nephilim, aren't you?"

Lu Han scrunches his forehead in confusion. "Only partially–"

"Shadowhunter blood is dominant," Yifan cuts him off gently, and winks at Lu Han. It doesn't take long before Lu Han understands the implication behind Yifan's words, and his expressions brighten up once again. "Don't worry about it, Lu Han. The Clave will not find out if I do not breathe a word of it, and I _won't_. Consider this a show of my gratitude, for helping Junmyeon even if you're not obligated to. I promise."

"Well then," Lu Han quips, and Yifan's momentarily taken aback when he swoops forth and nicks the extra seraph blade hooked onto Yifan's belt beside Cassiel, his movements precise and sure. "I guess we should get started before the sun comes up?"

The corners of Yifan's lips pull up into a wide smile, and he wraps a hand around Lu Han's which is already gripping the seraph blade, yet again ignoring the way his pulse races at the proximity. "This," he whispers as he positions himself behind Lu Han, feeling Lu Han's gentle shudder against his chest, "is Iaoel, named after the Angel of Visions."

Even if he can't see Lu Han's expressions, Yifan can still hear the smile in his voice as Iaoel lights up in his hand. "Fitting, seeing that I can read into minds."

"Indeed," Yifan agrees, but he leaves out the detail that the seraph blade already belongs to Lu Han.

✩

"You are so gone," Baekhyun quips while Lu Han is busy staring at his ceiling, nearly scaring the living daylight out of him.

Sleep continues to evade him even though it's already midday, the events of the previous night still fresh in his mind, and Lu Han flushes when he remembers how it had felt with Yifan's large hand enclosing his as Yifan taught him the proper way of using a seraph blade. Yifan's hand was a bit calloused from the years he's spent wielding weapons and fighting against demons, but warm nonetheless. And Lu Han definitely doesn't dwell upon the fact that he'd fitted so perfectly in Yifan's arms, with his back pressed against Yifan's chest and the Nephilim's hot breaths in his ear as he mutters instruction after instruction. He doesn't know if the thundering heartbeats he had felt belonged to Yifan or to himself, but he surmises it's the latter.

"What are you talking about?" Lu Han huffs, rolling over to his side to send Baekhyun a dark scowl. The Fey is unrepentant, thought, grinning cheekily at Lu Han as he sits cross-legged on the floorboards.

"Wu Yifan," Baekhyun says, as though it's a matter of fact. "I know what you've been up to yesterday. I heard the message in the wind. You're grinning like a fool, so I assume something good must've come out of it?"

It's only been days since Baekhyun had voiced his disapproval of Lu Han growing so close to Yifan, if only because of Lu Han's half-Fey blood and the existence of the Cold Peace which essentially bars the Nephilim and the Fairfolk from even being friends, but his best friend is oddly supportive of him now. No one talks about the brief moment of emotional breakdown they both had, about fruitless love and useless pining for someone they can't possibly have, because of the sanctions in place.

"How– _Baekhyun_ –" Lu Han splutters, bolting upright on the bed as he feels his cheeks colour again. "That was supposed to be private–"

Baekhyun shrugs. "Your fault for teaching the method that _we_ use to communicate to him. You know the message can be heard by anyone who knows how it's encrypted."

Damn it. "You're too nosy for your own good," Lu Han scrunches his nose, trying hard to fight off that goddamned blush from making its presence known, to no avail.

Baekhyun only grins even more, and Lu Han groans before stuffing his face into the pillow, refusing to look at his best friend at all. "And you're too easy to read for your own good."

Later, when the room has fallen silent – as silent as it can be, what with Baekhyun's constant need to move around even while he's being ignored, anyway – and Lu Han is finally being lulled into the throes of sleep, he can hear the soft, _don't let go of the happiness you've found and deserve, after all this time_ coming from Baekhyun, and his heart both warms and breaks because of it.

The last thing Lu Han remembers, though, is the way Baekhyun brushes his hair out of his face, before letting himself out of the room with a quiet _sleep well, Lu Han_.

✩

Things have been relatively calm since Junmyeon had been side-lined after Moloch's attacks, which was almost two months ago. While there have been sporadic demonic attacks on Beijing, these demons were easily despatched by Wendy and Irene, without the help of the other Downworlders. It's not until Junmyeon has completely recovered that the Institute is willing enough to let the pair go on missions again.

Maybe it wasn't a good idea on his part, to have invited Lu Han along on the very first mission upon Junmyeon's return, before he's even ascertained that Junmyeon's animosity for the half-Fey is completely gone.

It hasn't, actually, even though Junmyeon has never commented about Yifan's frequent meetings with Lu Han over the last couple of weeks. Yifan can sense the disapproval in the way Junmyeon narrows his eyes whenever Yifan tells his _parabatai_ that he has something to do at night; they've always done things together, Junmyeon and Yifan, and Yifan feels a little guilty that his free time is being occupied by Lu Han's presence instead. It always takes place in the deep of the night, when Junmyeon has grown worn from the day, and Yifan has to leave his _parabatai_ to rest after accompanying Junmyeon for the most part of the day. It's not as though he has a choice, though, not when Junmyeon is still extremely wary about Lu Han's presence, and refuses to come along with Yifan even though Yifan would always extend an invitation to Junmyeon. He's mentioned it to Yifan more than once, that he thinks Lu Han is merely luring Yifan into believing him, so that he'll be able to carry out whatever nefarious plans he has up his sleeves without Yifan being any the wiser.

Yifan doesn't buy it, though. Lu Han has come off as nothing but genuine to Yifan, be it in his actions or in his words, and he feels inclined to trust in Lu Han. It's not as though Lu Han has offered him something to drink or eat ever since they'd bonded at Han Geng's apartment, anyway. Yifan has read of the inscriptions borne in the books on the Fairfolk, and he knows when to keep his guard up.

Tonight, Junmyeon has a deep scowl etched on his usually handsome face the moment Lu Han pops up behind Yifan. Lu Han, whose hand was raised at the pair in greeting, freezes mid-movement when he senses the hostility in the air. It doesn't take long for Lu Han to drop his hand, awkwardly shuffling behind Yifan to hide himself from view. It's an easy enough feat, considering their height difference.

It doesn't stop Junmyeon from snarling at Yifan, though. "What is _he_ doing here?" His seraph blade is out in a flash, and Yifan steps forward in alarm while shoving Lu Han further away from him, increasing the distance between Junmyeon and Lu Han. Junmyeon may appear relatively harmless at first glance, but the fact remains that he's extremely agile, and there's a huge possibility that Lu Han might get injured before Yifan can even react, if he doesn't pay close enough attention to every movement of Junmyeon's.

"Junmyeon, lay off," Yifan warns him, tone serious. "He's here to join us on the mission."

It seems that his words only serve to set Junmyeon off even more, however. "Are you _insane_?" Junmyeon hisses again, looking downright murderous. "You're letting a _half-Fey_ join us on a mission to hunt demons when they're not even supposed to wield weapons? If the Enclave – or God forbid, the _Clave_ – finds out, we'll both be stripped of our Marks!"

Yifan exhales in irritation, but he's not about to back down from this argument. "He's a _Shadowhunter_ just like us, Junmyeon! Don't even pretend that you have no idea Nephilim blood is dominant!" He grits through his teeth, trying hard not to raise his voice because the last thing he wants is for the demon to hear of their infighting. "Lu Han needs to learn, and he wouldn't have had to resort to this if the Clave hadn't unfairly exiled Nephilim who are closely related to the Fairfolk without giving them a chance to talk in the first place!"

There's a look of incredulity on Junmyeon's expressions now, his mouth slightly agape. It takes a moment longer before his brain finally catches up to the turn of events, but Junmyeon's no less livid. "Do you even hear yourself? You're questioning the Clave's decision because of _him_?" He seethes, pointing a trembling finger at Lu Han. Lu Han takes another step back, and Yifan can feel Lu Han's fear in the way his fingers dig into the material of Yifan's jacket. "He's poisoned you."

"He's poisoned no one," Yifan snarls, then exhales noisily and looks away. "I've never been one who blindly agrees with everything that the Clave does, just because they're supposed to be the ruling body of the Nephilim. You know that very well, Junmyeon. This isn't any different. We've never heard their side of the story, and we were too quick to judge their ill-intentions. Why can't we give them a chance to prove themselves?" He asks.

Junmyeon appears as though he's about to say something more about the matter, though he settles for sending Yifan a look of frustration in the end, and walks away. "Do whatever the fuck you want, Yifan."

It isn't until Junmyeon's completely out of sight that the exhaustion sets in bone-deep, and Yifan feels extremely drained from that short exchange alone. It hurts him that his _parabatai_ doesn't even trust him, when he needs Junmyeon to believe in him the most. Yifan's judgement is rarely ever wrong, and he certainly hopes that it rings true with Lu Han this time as well.

Frustrated, Yifan kicks at the gravel beneath his feet, feeling the numbness spread from his toes up to his knee. He nearly forgets that Lu Han was there with them, watching their altercation silently, until he makes a grab for the sleeve of Yifan's jacket. Shit, he hadn't wanted Lu Han to witness his and Junmyeon's fight, because the man would definitely blame himself for it. He is, after all, the main reason why Junmyeon and Yifan are at odds with each other.

"Junmyeon... shouldn't you go after him?" Lu Han asks, and guilt is written plainly on his expressions. Yifan swallows.

"No, we both need some time to cool off. It's not like a lover's spat or anything. If I go after him now, things will only turn uglier," he tells Lu Han, who only nods curiously. Lu Han's eyes are still transfixed on the empty spot where Junmyeon had stood earlier, face contorted in deep thought. Yifan wonders what Lu Han had managed to dig up from Junmyeon's mind, but decides that it's Junmyeon's secret to keep.

"Maybe I shouldn't have come today," Lu Han mumbles, finally tearing his eyes away from the darkness to look at Yifan once again. "I didn't mean to–"

Yifan waves him off before he can say more. "Don't worry about it, Lu Han. Junmyeon just needs time to see that you're not like the Fairfolk at all. Come on, we should go find the demon."

Lu Han merely nods wordlessly, and follows after Yifan.

✩

Never in Lu Han's wildest dreams did he expect to be left alone with Junmyeon, but he does find himself in that particular position that evening, while Yifan had ran off to chase after the demon they're required to hunt down with Sicheng hot on his heels. Junmyeon, on the other hand, had lagged behind, grabbing onto Lu Han's wrist the moment he tries to catch up with Yifan and Sicheng.

The lingering displeasure is still thick in the air after Junmyeon had confronted Yifan earlier for having brought Lu Han along on their mission, though Lu Han doesn't blame him for it. It _is_ an Institute-sanctioned affair after all, and Lu Han can hardly be called a Shadowhunter despite the Nephilim blood running in his veins. That, and the fact that he's also half-Fey, which makes things all the more complicated than it should really be.

Lu Han takes a cautious step back when Junmyeon releases his hold on his wrist, and he shoots Junmyeon a questioning look, gesturing at the direction where Yifan and Sicheng had disappeared. "Shouldn't we keep up with–"

"What exactly are your intentions?" Junmyeon cuts him off curtly, wary eyes on Lu Han. "What do you intend to get out of this, by getting close to Yifan?"

A thought sparks in Junmyeon's mind just then, and even though Lu Han had tried hard to ignore it – as convenient as his abilities are, Lu Han doesn't like prying into someone else's mind unnecessarily – the task becomes impossible. Whenever a thought is deeply entrenched in another person's mind, it becomes a vivid image in Lu Han's own, playing out as though it's happening right before his very own eyes. It's intrusive and nauseating, but Lu Han can't look away even if he wants to, not when Yifan's face is a recurrent feature in it.

Lu Han swallows and takes another step back, hoping that by increasing the distance between himself and Junmyeon, it would become more difficult for his thoughts to diffuse across the space.

It doesn't.

"I know what you're thinking about – what you think of me, to be precise – but it's not like that," he tells Junmyeon, injecting as much sincerity into his words as he possibly can. Lu Han isn't good at this, trying to convince someone else of his genuine intentions. There's already a preconceived bias against him, considering his lineage as a half-Fey. It doesn't mean he'll stop trying, though.

"You can say anything you want to, and turn them against us in the end. That's what the Fairfolk always does, isn't it? Deceiving anyone remotely human with your sweet words and finding every loophole possible to trap us with?" Junmyeon sneers, and Lu Han's stomach churns sickeningly. He's seen the recollections of Junmyeon in Yifan's head, and it's nowhere close to this cynical, bitterly angry version of Junmyeon confronting him right now.

Jealousy can turn even the kindest of persons into monsters, his father had told him once. Lu Han can see that now.

But Lu Han knows that saying something sarcastic in return will only make matters worse, so he bites his tongue and tries to come up with something more neutral instead. "I know of the conceptions the other races have about the Fairfolk, but I promise you that not every one of us are like what the books say of us. Yifan has been very cautious around me, if you must know, and he still is. At least trust in him, if not in me."

It doesn't seem as though Junmyeon intends to let their conversation drag on, though, because he exhales in annoyance and brushes past Lu Han, taking care to bump painfully into Lu Han's shoulder. It's the closest he can get to hurting Lu Han physically now, he realises, but Lu Han can't really do anything about it.

"Save the sob story for yourself, Fey. You don't even know the true meaning behind being _parabatai_ ," Junmyeon spits, knowing that Lu Han can hear him just fine despite the distance between them. "If you ever betray Yifan, I will not hesitate to kill you, and the rest of your kind."

Lu Han sighs in resignation at the warning, watching as Junmyeon walks away from him. Maybe things wouldn't be this complicated, if Junmyeon wasn't being so incredibly jealous.

✩

Yifan is in the midst of perusing a book in the library when someone raps their knuckles against the door, and he looks up to find Liyin smiling at him.

"May I? If I'm not bothering you, that is," Liyin asks, and Yifan gestures towards the seat across him, shutting his book in preparation for the upcoming conversation.

At first glance, their resident Healer Zhang Liyin is all calm smiles and serene expressions, as though nothing can ruffle her metaphorical feathers at all. There's wisdom in her eyes if you care to look closer, despite Liyin being only several years older than Yifan is. And it's precisely this aspect of Liyin that makes Yifan a little uncomfortable to be around the woman. It always feels like she's able to read their thoughts like an open book, not unlike Lu Han's abilities, though the woman has denied it on more than one occasion.

 _I'm just observant enough_ , Liyin had laughed it off when Yifan questioned her about it, but Yifan still isn't completely convinced. If it wasn't because of the runes inked on her skin in near-invisible lines, Yifan would've thought she was a Warlock by now. After all, Shadowhunters are the only race who can withstand the burn of the runes when they're being drawn onto skin. Anyone else without angel blood who receive the Mark would have lost their minds and turned into the Forsaken otherwise.

"You don't usually leave the infirmary, Liyin. Is there something you'd like to talk about?" Yifan inquires good-naturedly, smiling at the woman. His fingers dig into the front cover of the book on his lap in an effort to dispel his uneasiness, but Yifan maintains a calm façade regardless. Judging by the unfaltering smile on Liyin's face, it doesn't seem as though she had noticed.

"Am I being that obvious?" She muses, crossing her legs and leaning forward to pick up one of the books Yifan had left on the table between them after he was done with it. Her eyes trace the golden wordings imprinted on the cover, mouthing the title of the book before her gaze flickers up to regard Yifan once again. "It's not much like you to stay cooped up in this dusty old library," Liyin points out. "And, it's rarer still to see you without Junmyeon hanging around you."

Yifan thinks back on the night when Junmyeon had chastised him for bringing Lu Han along on their mission. Junmyeon had stopped talking to him completely ever since, evidently still upset at Yifan's decision, even though Lu Han had played a pivotal role in helping them defeat the demon, a Houjing, that evening. The strategy Lu Han had suggested to them was more than effective to deal with such a slippery demon like the one they had faced up to, but even then, Junmyeon had refused to acknowledge his contribution.

And it's only because Lu Han is half-Fey.

Of course Yifan's frustrated at Junmyeon for continuously antagonising Lu Han, but he's long since learned to not call Junmyeon out on it. All he can do is to hope that there would be a day when Junmyeon would be able to see how sincere Lu Han is.

It is but a farfetched dream right now, however.

Remembering that Liyin is waiting for an answer though, Yifan smiles at her. "I figured it's time for me to be a little more mature than I've been previously. Father says I haven't been reading enough about our history," he says, though he doesn't address his problems with Junmyeon just yet, hoping he could steer Liyin away from talking about Junmyeon by starting a conversation about his father's aspirations for Yifan.

"Really?" Liyin asks, amused. "Your father just had a word with me a couple of days ago, and he told me he's glad he doesn't have to push you much to get you going. That he can't ask for a more responsible son who has his feet firmly planted on the ground."

Shit. "Well, Father has an image to upkeep. He can't go around badmouthing his son to others, can he?"

Liyin's smile doesn't falter in the slightest. Yifan tries his hardest not to squirm in his seat. "Fine, let's keep it that way, then," she says with a light shrug, though Yifan thinks she's hiding a lot more than she lets on. He realises he's in for another bout of interrogation when she holds up the book which she had picked up from the table earlier, flashing a questioning look at Yifan.

"I don't suppose researching about the Fairfolk is a part of your _necessary training_ now, is it?" Liyin asks again, and the mirth is still in her words as she takes in the titles of the other books stacked on the table beside Yifan. He half-considers to shove them onto the ground, just to break her concentration, but Yifan realises that it would merely pique her curiosity even more.

Yifan clears his throat and acts as normally as he possibly can. "They're the one race I know least about, and we haven't spotted them in years, ever since the Dark War had ended. I think I'd have to prepare myself to face up against them, should they decide to make their appearance known. Don't you think so?"

Liyin seems thoughtful for a long moment, and Yifan almost thought that he's managed to worm himself out of whatever Liyin had in store for him, but a short laugh is all that's needed to deflate Yifan's hopes. "That may be true, but don't think I'm oblivious to what you've been doing outside the Institute, even when I might stay cooped up within these four walls most of the time," she tells him, "I've seen eyes of dark brown and sapphire looking longingly up at the Institute, from my station at the infirmary, you know. And I've seen you meeting up with him outside these very gates."

Fuck, busted.

"You knew?" Yifan asks, knowing that he needs to be honest with Liyin from now on, or risk making himself look like a complete fool. The last thing he wants is for Liyin to think he's insulting her intelligence.

Liyin nods in affirmation. "I've known for a while now, since the first time the half-Fey appeared close to the Institute," she tells him, and Yifan positively gapes at Liyin. "He's not exactly good at hiding himself when he's in the Mundane world."

"Aren't you going to tell my father about Lu Han?" Yifan questions again, though he quickly amends himself when he remembers that Liyin doesn't know who Lu Han is. "The half-Fey, I mean."

The smile Liyin is wearing now has softened around its edges, as is the way she's looking at Yifan. "I trust in your judgement, Yifan. You've never been one to act recklessly – Junmyeon, too," Liyin says, and for a moment, Yifan feels as though a heavy burden has been lifted from his shoulders. It doesn't remain as such for long, though. "But that's why you and Junmyeon haven't been talking much, isn't it? Because of Lu Han?"

Yifan freezes at her question, because _have_ they been so transparent to the world?

"I–" he starts, but realises that his mind is a jumbled mess of thoughts. "I don't know what to do, Liyin. Junmyeon refuses to give Lu Han a chance to prove that his allegiance is with us Nephilim, and would act hostile whenever Lu Han is near. I don't intend to fight with Junmyeon over this, because I know that it'll harm our _parabatai_ bond in the long run, but I don't know what to do."

Liyin is completely absorbed in her thoughts for a long moment, leaving Yifan to wring his hands nervously in his lap, before she speaks up again. "The Fairfolk _is_ a sensitive topic to broach," she begins, tapping her chin in consideration. "For all their cunningness and their love of trickery, I can see why Junmyeon is extremely apprehensive about you growing close to Lu Han. But as far as I know, the trait doesn't carry on to the half-Fey, especially those with Nephilim blood. They cannot lie, _at all_. I'm pretty sure Junmyeon knows of that fact too, considering the amount of reading he's been doing."

"Wait–" Liyin's words had Yifan straightening up in his seat, eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "Junmyeon knows about that? Then why is he actively antagonising Lu Han?"

Liyin fixes him with a mysterious look. "Within a pair of _parabatai_ , sometimes the feelings run deeper for one of them, even when such feelings of affection are strictly prohibited by the Codex," she tells Yifan, who only grows more confused by the second, even though he has a hunch about what she's trying to suggest.

In the end, Yifan shakes his head. "No way," he breathes, feeling incredulous that Liyin should suggest such a thing when they both know what's been written in the Codex by heart. "Junmyeon knows better about the Law, and upholds it more rigidly than I do. There's no way he'd do that."

"Perhaps I might be wrong. After all, you are his _parabatai_ , the other half of his soul. You would know better than I," Liyin concurs with a nod, though the light in her eyes tell Yifan that she's feeling sorry for Junmyeon. He doesn't want to dwell upon it. "But have you questioned yourself? About how you feel for Lu Han?"

"What do you mean?" Yifan frowns, but thoughts about Lu Han invariably cross his mind.

Liyin stands up and walks over to pat Yifan on the shoulder on her way out, the mysterious, knowing smile still playing on her lips when Yifan looks up at her. "Think about it tonight. You'll find your answers, perhaps."

Later that evening, while Yifan's tossing and turning in bed, trying to get some much needed sleep, his mind keeps replaying the question Liyin had thrown at him before she'd left him alone. How _did_ he feel about Lu Han? Yifan honestly doesn't know for sure, either.

He finds Lu Han intriguing, that much is certain, especially when Yifan has seen both the haughty side of Lu Han, and the eager, shy side of him. Yifan had thought Lu Han was a proud person in the beginning, considering the way Lu Han had answered back at him when he'd been caught by Song Qian and Amber. But the incident with Moloch, where Lu Han had extended his unconditional help to both Yifan and Junmyeon, had Yifan reconsidering his opinion on Lu Han. The more time he spent with Lu Han, the more Yifan realised how kind Lu Han actually is, and his curious nature is extremely endearing in Yifan's eyes.

Yifan has never felt this way about another person before, and it honestly unsettles him greatly. He's always prided himself in being focused on successfully completing the missions given to him and Junmyeon by the Institute, as well as continuously improving his combat skills and knowledge whenever he has the time to spare, but lately, all Yifan has been thinking about is Lu Han are his beautiful eyes with mismatched colours, and the way its corners crinkle up when he smiles or laughs.

Lu Han's soft voice is the last thing Yifan thinks about, before the lure of sleep drags him down under.

✩

Parabatai _is a pair of Nephilim warriors who fight together as lifelong partners, bound together by oath – one sworn before the Council – that reflects their closeness and willingness to lay down their lives for one another._

Lu Han traces his finger along the neatly-printed lines on the page, making sure to absorb the essence of every word he's reading.

Junmyeon's accusation of Lu Han not knowing the first thing about the _parabatai_ bond has been bothering him ever since the other evening, and he doesn't think he'll be able to rest easy until he learns what exactly it means. Junmyeon isn't wrong, though; Lu Han is lagging behind in his studies on the Shadowhunters, something which his father would have a lot to say about if he ever finds out. This is precisely the motivation Lu Han needs to pick up the copy of his father's worn Codex which was previously left forgotten on the shelf once again.

The more Lu Han reads about the _parabatai_ bond, though, the less the things he's seen in Junmyeon's mind make sense.

Parabatai _will travel where the other travels, be buried where the other is buried; they can only choose one other Shadowhunter to be their_ parabatai, _and no other. However, the only bond forbidden to them is one of romance._

Lu Han pauses, narrows his eyes, _stares_ at that line. From what he has gathered about Junmyeon, he seems to be someone who adheres strictly to tradition and the rules that bind the Nephilim to the Clave. Yifan has told Lu Han this once: if there is one thing Junmyeon desires that goes against the Laws of the Clave, he's able to exercise great self-restraint and stop himself from thinking about the matter further.

Lu Han remembers the way he's caught Junmyeon looking at Yifan sometimes, when he thinks no one's paying attention to him. When coupled with Junmyeon's thoughts he'd accidentally picked up on their rare few meetings, Lu Han can only come to one conclusion: Junmyeon's feelings for Yifan are definitely romantic in nature.

Or maybe Lu Han is mistaken.

Shaking his head, Lu Han continues reading the rest of the passage, fingers of his left hand digging into the edge of the book when the reality sinks in.

 _A love bond between_ parabatai _will strengthen their power to the point of magic, which no Nephilim is supposed to wield, for it would consume and corrupt them to the point of no return._

✩

He feels troubled.

The frustration claws at him the more he thinks about it, threatening to drive him mad, and such a thing has never happened before.

Normally, when Yifan's thoughts are in a turmoil, he'd ask Junmyeon for a sparring session, during which they'll talk about it while sweating it out. It's good exercise to sharpen his attention as well as relieve himself of stress, but it's not as though Yifan can do that right now, not when Junmyeon's refusing to speak a word to him outside their missions. Even if Junmyeon hadn't said it to Yifan's face, he knows that Junmyeon will not talk to him until Yifan stops seeing Lu Han for good.

That brings him to a whole new level of dilemma, because Yifan learns that he _can't_ possibly do that. There's a strange sort of magnetism that keeps pulling Yifan back to Lu Han, one that makes him look forward to their next meeting even though they'd just parted ways not five minutes ago. It's with such thoughts that Yifan had written yet another message in the wind, asking to meet Lu Han on the clearing in the park which has become their designated spot, knowing they will not be interrupted when the night grows far too deep for any Mundane to stumble upon them.

Lu Han's eyes had widened when Yifan had proposed for them to spar that evening. It's not a part of their usual repertoire, considering the fact that Yifan had preferred polishing Lu Han's skills at wielding Iaoel and unleashing its powers to the best of his abilities. After all, a Shadowhunter is only as good as his understanding of the weapons at his disposal, and Yifan had wanted to ensure Lu Han gets well-acquainted enough with Iaoel.

Lu Han doesn't comment on Yifan's suggestion, however. He doesn't even appear to be bothered by the fact that Yifan's actively blocking him out of his mind, merely nodding in agreement and retrieving Iaoel from Yifan's grip when he offers it to Lu Han.

Lu Han's competitive side immediately makes its presence known when Iaoel flares up in his grip, flooding their surroundings with a bright, warm glow that accentuates the light in Lu Han's eyes. He puts a good enough distance between them both, wielding his seraph blade in a defensive manner before Yifan can even pull Cassiel out. The intensity in Lu Han's gaze sends a shudder down the length of Yifan's spine, and he finds himself smirking back as Cassiel flares to life as well.

"I should warn you; underestimating my sparring abilities is a dangerous thing to do," Lu Han teases from across the clearing, voice crisp in the autumn night. "I may not have sparred with you before, but I've had enough training under my father to keep up with you."

Yifan thinks of the time he had seen Lu Han fight against Moloch, flipping mid-air out of reach of its oily tendrils with the grace of a swallow mid-flight, and landing a clean cut down its body without being injured in the process. There's no doubt Lu Han's extremely adept at fighting; his father had done a good job in training Lu Han to the best of his abilities, despite the lack of resources and the restrictive arms of the Law which prevents them from wielding a weapon without getting them and the rest of the Fairfolk massacred. But it also excites Yifan at the same time, because he hasn't had a good spar in very long while, not since Junmyeon had gotten hurt.

"Bring it on," Yifan challenges with a confident smirk, which Lu Han coolly mirrors, and then they're meeting in the middle, sparks flying when the blades made of adamas come into contact.

For someone who appears so much smaller than Yifan is in size, Lu Han is surprisingly strong, and he doesn't falter in the slightest even when Yifan is placing pressure on his seraph blade. In fact, Yifan realises a little later that Lu Han's pushing him back, when he feels his body shifting in the opposite direction. Gritting his teeth, Yifan quickly rolls out of the way, watching from his peripheral vision as Lu Han stumbles forward with a surprised expression when the weight pressing him down suddenly disappears.

The confident look is back on Lu Han's face in a flash, though. "Don't go easy on me, Yifan."

"I definitely won't," Yifan barks out a laugh, feeling his pulse race. In the pale moonlight, Lu Han seems almost ethereal, and the way his soft platinum blond hair is falling over his right eye is enticing Yifan to run his fingers through them, just to feel how smooth the strands actually are beneath his fingertips. He reins in those thoughts before it becomes much too noticeable by Lu Han, and grips his seraph blade firmer in his outstretched hand, smiling in challenge at the other man.

Lu Han takes his challenge in stride, seraph blade held in a backhanded grip as he crosses the open space in a zig-zag motion to get to Yifan. Yifan knows what he's up to, knows that Lu Han's trying to distract and confuse Yifan before the final strike. Yifan had learned of that same technique from the training academy, and it's truthfully an effective enough move to surprise the enemy, if only said Nephilim was quick enough on his feet. Lu Han clearly hasn't had enough practice with respect to that, making it easy for Yifan to pin his tracks down, and he's already sidestepping the path of Lu Han's seraph blade when he brings it down upon Yifan.

What _does_ surprise Yifan, though, is the way Lu Han laughs in his ear as he passes Yifan by. His eyes widen by a fraction when he comprehends belatedly what Lu Han's _actual_ intentions are, and he twists his body sharply around just in time to block Lu Han's seraph blade from dealing him actual harm. The manoeuvre from before was just a decoy, it seems, and Lu Han had played it well enough to catch a seasoned fighter like Yifan off-guard.

It's not the only trick up Lu Han's sleeves, though. Yifan only realises this later, when Lu Han's foot hooks around his ankle, tugging sharply as Lu Han widens the distance between them, and Yifan's stomach drops when he feels his world tipping over its axis.

Nevertheless, Yifan's hand is quick to shoot out, grabbing onto the front of Lu Han's shirt and pulls the man down along with him. The wind is knocked out of his lungs when Yifan's back collides painfully against packed earth, and the sensation is doubled when Lu Han's weight lands on top of him. Lu Han isn't heavy, but the impact leaves him gasping for air regardless, eyes screwed shut to will away the pain.

That's when he's distracted by the sensation of warm breaths fanning across his cheeks, the sound of melodious laughter filling his senses, and Yifan forgets how to breathe for a short moment when he opens his eyes and finds Lu Han's face mere inches away from his. Lu Han's mismatched irises of dark brown and sapphire blue are intense as they stare back at Yifan, and his pupils are blown and dark. Yifan swallows, his own eyes tracing the perfect slope of Lu Han's nose, down to his plush, slightly parted lips. It's only then that Yifan's acutely aware of the way his arms are wrapped around Lu Han's smaller waist, but he's also conscious of the fact that he _doesn't_ want to let go.

Lu Han doesn't make to move, either, merely digging his nails into the front of Yifan's shirt. "I told you not to underestimate me," he tells Yifan, voice barely above a whisper, and Yifan's not oblivious to the way his gaze is flickering between Yifan's eyes and lips.

Yifan's sure Lu Han can feel the way his heart is thumping rapidly against his ribcage, but he doesn't really care right now. "I didn't," he says, gaze still intent on the way the moonlight is illuminating Lu Han's features, and he raises a hand to brush the back of his finger across the apple of Lu Han's cheek.

Lu Han's lashes flutter close for a brief moment, and a brilliant smile spreads across his lips. _Liar_ , is all that Lu Han says, reminding Yifan that he can read into his thoughts when Yifan forgets to keep his guard up, and maybe Yifan doesn't care about being cautious around Lu Han anymore, when Lu Han leans in the rest of the distance and presses his soft lips against Yifan's chapped ones.

The kiss steals his breath away, the way Lu Han's entire existence makes him feel completely awed. It's not rushed nor messy, with just the right amount of pressure as Lu Han's lips slot perfectly against Yifan's, peppered with mischievous nips and a little bit of tongue when it becomes clear that Yifan wants this just as much as Lu Han does.

Lu Han's cheeks are flushed a pretty shade of pink when he finally pulls away, smile shy but bright on his well-kissed lips as he glances down at Yifan. Yifan thinks his heart might have swelled thrice its original size, from how warm and contented he feels right now, like this is all meant to be, and he makes this known by reaching up to plant a chaste kiss on Lu Han's mouth once again.

But the blissful look on Lu Han's face is gone in the next moment, when he seems to come to a startling realisation. Yifan can only look at him in confusion, hands still placed firmly on Lu Han's waist to keep him there on the ground with Yifan, while he waits for Lu Han to sort out his thoughts.

What Lu Han says, though, has Yifan frowning a little. "We can't–" he starts, then shakes his head and rephrases his words. "Junmyeon will be upset."

"Junmyeon is my _parabatai_ , and he's been going on for years about how I need to find a romantic companion. He'll be happy for me, when he realises I've found someone I like," Yifan explains, but Lu Han only seems to be more confused than before.

"But he– he _likes_ you, Yifan."

The words had Yifan's head spinning nauseatingly, because Junmyeon _can't_. He wonders if he's really that dense, when both Liyin and Lu Han have made the exact same observation about Junmyeon. But Junmyeon can't possibly hold romantic feelings for him. It's been barred by the Codex, citing that a terrible fate will befall a pair of _parabatai_ who crosses the boundaries of being a pair of bonded warriors to the realm of love. Love consumes them, leads them astray, makes them forget about the oath they've initially taken, and Junmyeon knows _better_.

"Do you–" Lu Han speaks up again when Yifan remains silent, and Yifan can hear the hesitation in Lu Han's voice, can see it in the way Lu Han's looking at him. Yifan doesn't know if he's trying to delude himself into believing it, but it feels as though Lu Han _wants_ to remain like this, to continue from where they'd left off before Lu Han had brought up about Junmyeon, and frankly, Yifan doesn't want this night to ever end either.

"Do I what?"

The column of Lu Han's throat works as he swallows hard. "Do you like Junmyeon? In a romantic way?"

" _No_!" The answer is instant, not at all hesitant, and Lu Han relaxes in Yifan's grip. "I've never seen Junmyeon in such a light, especially because we're _parabatai_. I can never."

"Then... do you like me?" Lu Han asks again, and it's really endearing when he's so uncertain like this, nothing like the haughty Fairfolk Yifan has always heard about.

"Does this answer your question?" Yifan replies, and without giving it a second thought, he leans in and closes the distance between their lips once again.

✩

Lu Han's head is spinning, but in an extremely good way. Baekhyun will think he's lost his mind for smiling to himself and acting generally out of it, but Lu Han really doesn't care at this point of time.

His fingers trace over his bottom lip, where it's still throbbing pleasantly, the ghost of Yifan's touch fresh against it. Lu Han had kissed quite a number of people before, mostly Fey, but the way Yifan had kissed him was completely different from what Lu Han had ever experienced.

It's pleasant. Extremely pleasant. And Lu Han thinks he might just be a little intoxicated right now.

If Lu Han had to be honest with himself, he hadn't expected for the evening to play out like this. He'd answered to Yifan's message in the wind, thinking that he'll be able to get some training in for the night – which he _did_ for maybe half an hour, before they had ended up on the damp grass in a mess of limbs and busied themselves with making out instead. The sparring session was a refreshing change from the sessions Lu Han would do with his father, he'd admit as much, but being in Yifan's arms, enveloped by his warmth in the middle of Autumn, was infinitely better in Lu Han's books.

It doesn't even matter that Lu Han knows of Junmyeon's feelings for Yifan, not when Yifan himself had denied feeling anything more than brotherly affection for the other Nephilim. And then there's the inscription about the _parabatai_ bond written in the Codex, which Lu Han knows Junmyeon will not cross, _ever_ , because Junmyeon is still actively fighting against it, keeping his feelings tightly bottled up within.

 _Be happy_ , Baekhyun has told him before, and this is the only instance Lu Han has ever wanted to be truly selfish for his own sake. By now, Lu Han has acknowledged the way Yifan's mere presence would drive him up the wall, making his heart pound and his mind oddly blank whenever he's near. It's difficult enough to keep up a smug front when he's with Yifan, though Lu Han has decided to forego that completely, now that he knows his feelings are being reciprocated.

Lu Han also knows that Yifan and he will have to sit down and sort things out eventually, especially when the pureblooded Nephilim are still unaccepting of half-Fey like Lu Han, but he wants to bask in this blissful feeling for a while longer.

Lu Han's about to tell Baekhyun of the good news when said Fey comes bounding up to him from across the field, the grave look on his face making Lu Han stop in his steps. "Baekhyun, what's wrong?" Lu Han asks, keeping his voice carefully neutral because Baekhyun is a prankster and has the tendency to pull his leg just for the heck of it. Lu Han can't even begin counting the amount of times he's panicked unnecessarily over a hoax, only to have Baekhyun laughing at him for days on end. It's not something he'd like to relive, or to add on to Baekhyun's ever-expanding list of Most Embarrassing Moments of Lu Han.

But Baekhyun's expressions still doesn't change a single bit. "Everything," he says, tone serious, and Lu Han straightens himself. "I need to show you something immediately."

 _What is it?_ , Lu Han's about to ask, when Baekhyun summons up a portal between two symmetrically intertwined trees nearest to them, an anomaly in nature, and he frowns in confusion. Such oddities in nature are usually indicative of the entrance points to the Faerie Realm, and Lu Han really doesn't understand why Baekhyun's doing this. Lu Han's home is situated in a secluded countryside in the Mundane realm, made easily accessible only because of Lu Han's ability at summoning up portals himself, and Baekhyun would only call up a portal when he's about to head back to the Faerie Realm. This is evidently different, when Baekhyun stands before the swirling vortex of purple and black and looks at Lu Han expectantly.

"Are you coming or not?" Baekhyun asks when Lu Han doesn't make a move to follow.

"Where are we going?"

Baekhyun walks towards where Lu Han remains standing, and impatiently drags Lu Han towards the portal before it closes. "The Faerie Realm, of course. Where else?"

The words had Lu Han digging his heels into the soil, effectively stopping them from moving further. Baekhyun looks most restless now, but he doesn't force Lu Han to go any farther. " _Wait_ –" Lu Han practically hisses. "The _Faerie Realm_?! They banned me from entering the moment my mother decided to turn against them! Are you trying to get me executed?"

"They won't know if no one breathes a word about it, and _I'm_ not about to let my best friend did if I can help it," Baekhyun says, and Lu Han feels a little more reassured. It's common knowledge that being a member of the upper echelon of the Seelie Court, Baekhyun's magic is a force to be reckoned with, and he's one of the strongest Fey around. No one would cross Baekhyun unless they have a death wish, and then there's Lu Han's mother too. "Come on, Lu Han. Trust me on this. We don't have much time."

With Baekhyun's reassurance and the urgency underlying his tone, Lu Han finally relents, nodding as he allows Baekhyun to lead the way.

✩

Yifan nearly jumps out of his skin when he lets himself into his bedroom, only to find a figure sitting in the armchair beside the floor-to-ceiling windows on the other side of the room, almost completely enshrouded in darkness save for the pale moonlight streaming in through the glass panes where the heavy curtains hadn't been drawn over them.

His heart does leap in joy for a brief moment when he recognises the figure, though the expression on the man's face has Yifan frowning again. "Is something the matter, Junmyeon?" He asks. "It's late."

"Amazing," Junmyeon replies, and the clarity of a sneer isn't lost on Yifan. "You haven't completely lost your sense of time."

Great, of course Yifan needs Junmyeon to act all passive-aggressive on their first conversation in _weeks_ , but Yifan doesn't call his _parabatai_ out on it. Their exchange deeply unsettles him though, despite it being only the beginning, and it feels as though Junmyeon knows something Yifan hasn't yet figured out.

"What are you trying to get at, Junmyeon? If it isn't important, can we talk about this in the morning instead? I'm really, _really_ exhausted," Yifan tells him instead, rubbing at his temple for extra emphasis.

It's not a complete lie, however, considering how Lu Han had actually made him break a sweat with their sparring session, which had ended prematurely with something better. By the time Yifan had had enough of lazily making out with Lu Han on the park, it was barely three hours before sunrise, and they'd parted ways rather reluctantly before anyone else grows suspicious, with the promise to meet each other again soon.

It's been a long day, really, and the lure of his soft mattress is far too enticing to resist.

Even if Yifan can't clearly see Junmyeon's expression, the derision is thick in his voice. "Exhausted from making out with the Fey? Your stamina has deteriorated so, Yifan. Or did the Fey suck out your life power by kissing you senseless without you being any the wiser?"

Yifan instantly tenses at Junmyeon's words. "You were _following_ me?" He asks incredulously. There's only one possible way that Junmyeon could have tracked him, and Yifan's hand immediately moves to cover the _parabatai_ rune etched onto the skin of his abdomen. Now that Yifan's truly paying attention, he can feel a string of sharp pricks coming from its direction, and he hisses softly, fingers digging into the material of his grass-stained shirt.

The _parabatai_ bond is an extremely sacred bond; they both know it very well. Yifan also knows that outside of battle, if one half of a pair of _parabatai_ warriors draw upon its powers to trace their other half, it's a clear sign of distrust, and would significantly weaken the bond in return. He can't believe Junmyeon would resort to such drastic actions, just because of some stupid unfounded jealousy that shouldn't exist in the first place.

There's not a hint of remorse in Junmyeon's voice when he replies, "I had no other choice since you're being so secretive as of late. How was I supposed to know if you weren't letting go of the Enclave's secrets? You're too trusting of the Fey for your own good, and he's got you completely wrapped around his fingers."

"He has a _name_ , and it's Lu Han," Yifan hisses through clenched teeth, trying hard not to raise his voice and potentially wake the rest of the Institute up. His parents' room is only several doors away from Yifan's, and they'd be the first ones to come running at the slightest commotion. Yifan would rather avoid having to explain the ruckus in the middle of the night if he can help it. "And I'm not going to expose the Enclave's secrets to him! What do you take me for? I'm–"

"–the son of the head of the Beijing Enclave, and the future successor of the position," Junmyeon reminds him, crossing the room in several slow strides before coming to a complete stop in front of Yifan. There's anger in Junmyeon's eyes, and Yifan wonders just where everything had gone wrong. "It would do you a lot of good to remember that, Yifan, and I'm reminding you of your duty as your _parabatai_. If you're not careful–"

"It still doesn't make it excusable for you to follow me around by using the _parabatai_ bond, Junmyeon. Do you understand what you've done?" Yifan asks, the frustration almost getting the better of him. He deserves a prize for being able to keep his labile temper under control for so long.

Junmyeon's gaze is steely as he stares up at Yifan, intimidating despite being a good head shorter than Yifan is. "Of course I do. You're not giving me much reason to believe that you still think of me as your _parabatai_ , that's all."

"Junmyeon–" Yifan reaches out, only to stop himself short when he remembers what Lu Han had told him. _Junmyeon likes you, and it's not in the way you're supposed to like each other as friends, as brothers who fight for each other till death do you part_.

He pretends not to see the hurt that flashes in Junmyeon's eyes when he lets his hand fall limply by his side. "Forget it."

Junmyeon seems to think of Yifan's relative silence as a sign of acknowledgement, and he sidesteps Yifan, barely squeezing his way out of the room. "Consider this as my final warning, Yifan. If you continue associating yourself with the Fey, I will not hesitate to sever all ties with you, and erase the _parabatai_ bond once and for all. I hope you sleep on it tonight, and come to a wise decision as soon as possible. Good night."

Once Junmyeon has disappeared into his own room, Yifan shuts the door behind him and punches the wall angrily, leaving a slight indent on its bricked structure. The jolt of pain that travels all the way up the length of his arm sobers Yifan up a little, but his resolve remains unchanged. He _will_ get Junmyeon to understand and accept Lu Han, if it's the last thing he does.

✩

Lu Han's face is extremely pale as he stares, jaw unhinged, at the scene before him. Beside him, Baekhyun is solemn, eyes grave as he waits for Lu Han to respond.

When Baekhyun had brought him to the Faerie Realm to show him something, Lu Han honestly doesn't know what he was expecting, but it definitely isn't _this_. Now, as they lay crouched behind an irregular slab of stone, watching the open field down the hill, Lu Han's legs are trembling from the implications of what he's seeing.

Never in his life did Lu Han think he'd be seeing the Fey holding weapons, training themselves in the art of fighting. And it isn't even a member of the Fairfolk or two. It's an entire _army_ of them, with the Seelie Queen sweeping through their ranks in an earth green robe, the light in her eyes prideful as she appraises their efforts. Lu Han's throat feels strangely parched and scratchy.

"How long– how long have they been going at this?" He asks, hands still shaking as he balls them up into fists. The tips of his fingers feel cold, though he doubts it's because of the frigid night breeze sweeping through the moor.

 _The Fey are extremely vindictive people_ , Han Geng had told him before Lu Han had left his upscale apartment, when Junmyeon had been cured of the life-threatening effects of demonic poison. Somehow, the Warlock must have sensed the mutual interest between Lu Han and Yifan even then, his catlike irises catching more than he lets on. _They will not hesitate to retaliate against the Nephilim for the disrespect they've been dealt after the Dark War, and trust me when I say they_ will _find a loophole in the Accords. You should distance yourself before you get caught in the middle of the crossfire. Biyu will not be happy about it._

Right now, though, Lu Han wonders if Han Geng had actually known of the Fairfolk's plans from long before. The way he'd said those things to Lu Han struck him as extremely certain, now that Lu Han thinks about it.

His insides twist sickeningly.

"Judging by the looks of it, at least a couple of Mundane years," Baekhyun admits, and he sounds remorseful as he pulls Lu Han down with him, hiding themselves better. "I'm sorry; I should have discovered this much sooner."

"It's not your fault. Don't apologise for something you did not do," Lu Han tells him, though he understands what exactly Baekhyun is apologising for. Baekhyun's the one with unrestricted access to the Faerie Realm, after all, and a member high in the ranks of the Seelie Court. Important decisions like waging a war against the Nephilim – armed with the best and most complete weapons, no less – must've been made by the Seelie Queen after a thorough decision with the rest of the nobles of the Court. It's clear that Baekhyun's been intentionally left out of the loop, as Lu Han's mother had been, only because the Seelie Court knows where their allegiance lies with, and that they will be the ones to cast votes opposing the movement. The Seelie Queen is hard-headed and prideful, and she will not stand to watch someone oppose her plans; Lu Han knows that much, even if he hasn't actually met her before. Then again, those who are against the notion of exacting revenge are but a small minority amongst the Fairfolk, with the voice of reason that is Fan Biyu living in self-imposed exile in the Mundane Realm.

A war waged by the Fairfolk, fuelled with resentment and anger stemming from a trampled pride, will not bode well for all those involved. Even Lu Han knows that much.

"What are we supposed to do, then?" Baekhyun asks again, and Lu Han doesn't realise that he's been chewing onto his bottom lip _hard_ until he braces himself to speak and tastes the metallic taste of blood on his tongue.

He ignores it squarely, clenching his fists a little tighter until his nails are digging into flesh. "We need to let my mother, and the Nephilim know about this. I can't possibly sit back and watch two halves of my parent races attempting to annihilate each other through a battle of pride," he says, still keeping his voice low. The Fey army below are still preoccupied with sparring against each other and perfecting their techniques at using weapons, and doesn't seem to have noticed Lu Han and Baekhyun spying on them.

Baekhyun follows his line of sight, and nods in agreement, his forehead scrunched in focus. "I'll alert Biyu. You should go and seek Yifan out."

They make a move the moment a silent pact has been made, Lu Han's insides twisting further at the sound of triumphant cheers of the Fairfolk that follow the declaration made by the Seelie Queen. They needed to hurry, especially when time moved different in the Faerie Realm, and there's absolutely no saying if they'll attack in the next couple of Mundane hours.

Lu Han certainly hopes they'll be able to warn everyone in time.

✩

It seems that Lu Han isn't short of surprises, when Yifan finds mismatched irises of dark brown and sapphire staring back up at him at the entrance of the Institute. Lu Han had asked to meet urgently, and Yifan was just about to step out of the Institute in order to head towards their usual meeting spot.

"Lu Han? What are you doing here?!" Yifan hisses, grabbing Lu Han by the arm and dragging him to the side before some other Shadowhunter sees him. As much as Yifan likes Lu Han, and as much as he wants the rest of the world to know of the brand new relationship between them, he can't possibly risk throwing the truth into the open without any preamble, not when the resentment towards the Fairfolk for the damage they'd dealt to the Nephilim when the Seelie Queen had allied herself with Sebastian Morgenstern is still running high amongst Yifan's kind.

"I needed to talk to you. Didn't you receive my message?" Lu Han blinks, and _God_ , Yifan wants to kiss the confusion off his face.

"I did," Yifan confirms, "but I wasn't expecting for you to come right up to the Institute. What if someone sees you?" Yifan asks, looking over his shoulders repeatedly in case someone decides to walk out of the Institute right then. There's a chill running down his spine, a feeling which can only come from being watched, and Yifan traces the sensation back to the infirmary. Liyin is there, as he'd expected. She flashes Yifan a reassuring smile when their eyes meet, then walks away from the window, presumably to give the pair the privacy that's due.

Lu Han's chewing on his bottom lip when Yifan turns back to look at him, and Yifan promptly feels worried. It's not like Lu Han to wear such an expression, the bright smiles and teasing smirks easier for Yifan to associate with him. It's worse when Lu Han reaches forth and digs his fingers into the warm flesh of Yifan's forearm, which tells Yifan that something is really, _really_ wrong. "I think that's not the greatest concern of mine now. I–"

Lu Han doesn't have the opportunity to complete his sentence, though, when they suddenly find themselves surrounded by a large group of Shadowhunters, their seraph blades drawn. Junmyeon is one of them, and Jongin is there by his side, glancing questioningly at Yifan. Right, Jongin doesn't know about Lu Han. Only Junmyeon, Irene, and Wendy have seen him before, though they have remained graciously silent about his existence. Yifan isn't so sure about that right now, however, not when Junmyeon has his eyes narrowed at Lu Han, anger flaring.

"Junmyeon, stay back–" Yifan warns.

"No, Yifan," Junmyeon growls back, refusing to back off. "I've _warned_ Lu Han to stay away on more accounts than one, but he's refused to listen time and again, even gaining the gall to walk right up to the Institute without declaring his dubious intentions. And _you_ –" He turns onto Yifan this time, though Yifan doesn't even flinch, meeting Junmyeon's piercing gaze head on. "–you've disappointed me."

"You're not going to turn him in," Yifan snarls, standing protectively in front of Lu Han and barring any of his Nephilim friends from harming him. "You have to get through me if you want to lay your hands on him."

"It's fine," Lu Han's voice rings out just then, dragging everyone's attention to him. "I'll go along with them."

Yifan spins around to gawk at Lu Han, disbelieving of what he's hearing. "Are you _insane_? You're going to get yourself killed!"

Lu Han doesn't seem perturbed by the possibility of it happening, however, and merely shakes his head in response. "I will speak to the head of the Enclave myself; he is the head of the Beijing Institute as well, am I right? And if he deems me a threat to the Nephilim, then so shall my punishment be," he announces, meeting the gazes of everyone present unblinkingly.

Junmyeon seems satisfied enough of Lu Han's response, and makes to grab hold of him, but Yifan is instantly in the way again, holding Junmyeon's wrist to keep him in place. He really doesn't want to do this, because he knows it'd hurt their _parabatai_ bond, but Yifan's also concerned about Lu Han's wellbeing; he shouldn't be harmed until it is established beyond reasonable doubt that he intends to deal harm to the Shadowhunters and the rest of the Downworlders who have shunned the Fairfolk for their betrayal nine years ago.

"Do not lay a hand on him," Yifan says gruffly, staring Junmyeon down. He's well-aware of the incredulous looks Jongin, Wendy, and Irene are sending in his direction, but Yifan can't care less right now. He will die trying to prove Lu Han's innocence. "I will escort him myself."

"If he tries anything funny–" Junmyeon starts, still distrusting.

Yifan cuts him off curtly. "Then I will deal with him myself. I haven't forgotten where my loyalties lie."

It's only then that Junmyeon finally relents, but they don't lower their weapons. With a clipped _move_ aimed at Lu Han, the Nephilim who have been blocking the entrance makes way for the half-Fey, gazes wary as Lu Han walks into the Institute with his head held high.

"Don't make me regret letting him through," Junmyeon growls in a low voice when Yifan passes him by to follow after Lu Han, and Yifan grits his teeth instead of answering, refusing to meet Junmyeon's gaze at all.

It burns his skin all the same.

✩

Lu Han's father definitely wasn't lying when he told Lu Han of the Nephilim's deep-seated animosity for the Fairfolk and those whose blood carry even the faintest trace of Fey blood. He can feel it in the way the Nephilim are eyeing him warily as he walks through the hallways of the Institute, their posture tense and ready to pounce onto Lu Han at the slightest hint of danger. It doesn't even matter to them that Lu Han is completely unarmed, and he has to lament at their opinion of him, thinking that Lu Han is able to do magic like the rest of the Fairfolk. It's unfortunate that they refuse to learn more about half-Nephilim, half-Fey beings like Lu Han; they're horribly misinformed, as far as Lu Han can tell by reading into their minds.

It doesn't matter, though, not when there are more pressing matters to be attended to right now. The more they dally about, the more time the Fairfolk rebels have to prepare themselves for the eventual war. Lu Han feels exceptionally anxious, owing to the fact that time passes differently in the Mundane Realm and the Faerie Realm, and there's no saying if the Seelie army's preparations are done by now. He certainly hopes it hasn't; the Nephilim and Downworlders might not be able to respond to a full scale attack from the Fairfolk at a split second's notice, especially when the Seelie Queen herself will prefer breaking her army up to conquer different continents at the same time, if the way she had commanded her underlings the other night is anything to go by.

Lu Han's afraid it'll be too late, if an attack is launched from the Fairfolk's side before everyone else can be alerted of the possibility of it happening. The damage would be irreparable, when the Fairfolk has had _years_ to prepare themselves.

"Here it is," Junmyeon says, tone clipped, once they arrive at a set of heavy double mahogany doors. It's quiet on the other side, and Lu Han can only blink at Junmyeon in confusion. The impatience is back on his handsome face in a flash, along with a thousand unpleasant thoughts about Lu Han, and when intermixed by the heavy amount of jealousy radiating from Kim Junmyeon, Lu Han feels almost suffocated. "The Inquisitor of the Enclave. You wanted to see him, didn't you?"

"Oh, right," Lu Han says sheepishly, nodding in thanks when Junmyeon opens the door for him, though his polite gesture is duly ignored. Lu Han fights the urge to worry on his bottom lip, deciding that it won't do him any good to fret over it. Junmyeon clearly still doesn't like him, especially considering the fact that he's already discovered what had happened between Lu Han and Yifan the other night. His jealousy is still raging, despite his conscious urge to suppress it. Lu Han feels sorry for him, somewhat.

If at all possible, the air within the great study is even more oppressive when Lu Han steps in. There's a man seated behind the half-circle desk made from English elm, his presence every bit imposing even when he's not looking directly at the group which had just shuffled into the room. The scratching of his pen's nib against paper abruptly stops when he realises he has company, but he doesn't look the slightest bit ruffled by the intrusion, merely glancing at the group with an eyebrow raised.

Lu Han frowns a little once he manages to take in the man's appearance, because he looks extremely familiar to Lu Han, even though he's sure this is the first time he's ever met the man. Then something clicks in his mind; Lu Han snaps around to look at Yifan, mind whirring when he realises that Yifan and the man are alike, from their thick eyebrows to the slope of their noses.

"Yifan," the man speaks up before Lu Han even has the chance to clarify the situation with Yifan. "What's the meaning of this? Why is there a Fey in the Institute?"

"This is Lu Han, father," Yifan says, and Lu Han's gut clenches. It's no wonder they look alike, though Lu Han is also hit with the brand new realisation that Yifan might just become the next Inquisitor of the Beijing Enclave once his father steps down. The second thought that crosses Lu Han's mind is the fact that the man's words are filled with _contempt_ , condescension, and he takes a tentative step back. Yifan's fingers are wrapped around his wrist almost immediately, his presence warm and reassuring, but it makes Lu Han's insides twist even more.

He doesn't want to be viewed as a weakling, as someone who can't even stand up for himself, so Lu Han puffs up his chest and wills his nerves to settle. It works, for the most part, and at least Lu Han can raise his gaze to meet the Inquisitor in the eye.

As though sensing his defiance, the corner of the Inquisitor's lips quirk into a small smirk. "On a first name basis with a Fey now, are we, my son?" He asks, tone ice cold and very much unlike that of a father's.

Beside Lu Han, Yifan visibly flinches, though he recovers quickly enough to send his other Nephilim friends off with a single look. They oblige without a word of objection, which speaks volumes about Yifan's position in the Institute. Jongin lingers behind just a little longer to shoot Lu Han a concerned look before he leaves, and Lu Han can sense that he's sincerely worried about Lu Han, even though they're not even acquainted, and the Fey are supposed to be viewed as the natural enemy of the Nephilim. Like this, Lu Han can see why Baekhyun has fallen for the Shadowhunter, just by observing him alone. Kim Jongin is an honourable person.

Junmyeon, however, remains unmoving from the study, but Yifan doesn't order his _parabatai_ to leave, even if Yifan must know that Junmyeon will oppose whatever that comes out from Lu Han's mouth. Yifan clearly still cares for his sworn brother, even though Junmyeon has been anything but supportive of Yifan's relationship with Lu Han.

"He is not a pureblooded Fey, father," Yifan speaks up once they're left alone, turning to face his father again. Lu Han sees the way Yifan both respects and dislikes his father, though the former wins over his negative feelings. They are, after all, bonded by blood, and no son could come to hate their parent, no matter what happens. "He possesses Nephilim blood, just like you and I."

"Clearly," Inquisitor Wu scoffs, barely even sparing a glance at Lu Han, pretending as though he isn't even there with them. "He wouldn't have otherwise been able to step into the Institute's grounds."

"Then will you listen to what he has to say?" Yifan asks, more challenging than seeking permission. _I will fight my father on your behalf_ , the way his grip tightens around Lu Han's wrist seems to say, and Lu Han's sorely tempted to lace their fingers together, to tell the Inquisitor of their mutual attraction, but he doesn't. Inquisitor Wu seems to be the type of person who'd sneer at Lu Han and accuse him of using his relationship with Yifan to earn himself the right to speak in the Institute.

Lu Han is not like that, though he'll have to prove himself to them.

"Might I remind you that the Clave has banished the likes of him from the ranks of the Nephilim–" Inquisitor Wu begins to say, though Yifan cuts him off at once, completely ignoring the way his father's expressions turn stormy.

"Have you ever thought that the Clave can be _wrong_?" Yifan challenges, and he disregards the way Junmyeon had called his name in warning. "The Clave never gave them a chance to prove their loyalty after the Dark War. They automatically _assumed_ that anyone who's related to the Fairfolk are traitors, and exiled them without as much of a hearing. And _you_ know very well that it's not the way us Nephilim are supposed to act!"

Yifan doesn't get a rise out of his father, whom merely stares back at the pair calmly. Lu Han knows that he's furious, though; the raging thoughts in the man's mind is telling. "Are you going against me and the Clave because of the Fey?"

"At least listen to what he has to say!" Yifan roars in frustration, making Lu Han jump, and he really, _really_ feels guilty for being the catalyst of their argument.

There's a tense moment of silence, with Yifan's father staring him down, though he relents in the end, sighing quietly and leaning back into his chair. "Fine, speak," he says simply, lacing his fingers together on his lap, and his words catch Lu Han by surprise.

It isn't until Junmyeon nudges Lu Han none too gently in the side that he finds his voice, and Lu Han scrambles to pull his thoughts together. "I apologise for appearing out of nowhere–" he starts, and Junmyeon actually scoffs; Lu Han pays him no heed. "–but I bring you grave news. The Seelie Queen is planning an attack on the Nephilim, even as we speak."

A chorus of _what_ s follow, both coming from Yifan and Junmyeon, but Inquisitor Wu is still a mask of calmness. The only response he gives is the slight quirk of his eyebrow. "You are not allowed to enter the Faerie Realm, are you?"

Lu Han swallows; he thinks he knows where this conversation is going, but he can't afford to lie, not when he _needs_ them to believe in him just this once – never mind that gaining their trust is an uphill battle as it is. He wonders how the Inquisitor had discovered that little-known fact, but Lu Han doesn't dwell on it.

"I'm not," he confirms, and sees the way Junmyeon snaps around to look at him, suspicion in his eyes. He ignores it. "But I have a Fey friend who didn't agree with the pact the Seelie Queen had made with Sebastian Morgenstern – not all of us do. He brought me to the Faerie Realm, and showed me what I had to see."

"It seems dubious that you, of all people, should be the one to warn us," Inquisitor Wu says after a long moment of deliberation, and the distrust is layered thick in his words. Lu Han swallows, and straightens himself further. "You, who are not accepted in both the ranks of the Nephilim, and the Fey. A perfect opportunity to turn both of your parent races against each other, don't you think?"

Lu Han's gaze darkens. "I am not like that. My father is a Shadowhunter through and through, and my mother was the Crown Princess of the Seelie Court who is against such atrocities. I know where my loyalties lie, and I am _trying_ to help you."

Inquisitor Wu isn't taking any of it, however, and he smirks at Lu Han once again. "Alas, your blood also renders you every bit capable of lying outright, unlike the Fey who has to incorporate half-truths into their words. You appear out of nowhere, and expect us to believe you wholeheartedly? I am not such a foolish person, and I will not be the one who leads the Nephilim into a one-sided war only to allow the Fey to retaliate."

Lu Han's face flushes with anger, and he can feel the frustration clawing at him. He knew it would be difficult to convince the Beijing Enclave of his words, but Lu Han hadn't expected for them to be this hard-headed. Inquisitor Wu is so completely different from Yifan, Lu Han can't even wrap his head around the fact that they are indeed flesh and blood.

"I don't think it is unreasonable for us to take precautions," Yifan speaks up, tone hard, but he doesn't raise his voice, probably realising that fighting fire with fire will only make the situation worse. What Inquisitor Wu needs right now is to look at the situation soundly, instead of letting his head be clouded by the prejudice against the Fairfolk. "We need to beef up security, in case they launch a surprise attack on us, lest Lu Han's words be true. Better be safe than sorry."

"No, I do not see a point in doing so. It would require us to mobilise a large number of manpower – manpower _which_ , we do not have," Yifan's father shoots his suggestion down without even putting in much thought, and Lu Han can see the way Yifan's gritting his teeth, wanting to fight back but _can't_. Yifan's guard is down at the moment, allowing Lu Han full access to his thoughts, and Lu Han sees him come up with every possible reason to convince his father, only to give up in the end, knowing that there isn't a fool proof method to ensure their safety from the Fairfolks' uncertain attack while keeping a realistic amount of manpower in the Institute to fight against the demons.

Lu Han doesn't think he's ever been this frustrated in his life, though before he can open his mouth to back his words up, the doors to the study are being shoved open, revealing a stricken-looking man from behind. All three of them immediately turn around to regard the newcomer, though Yifan's father remains unmoving in his seat, but he _does_ ask the man this:

"Henry, did the rest not pass on the message that we wish to be left alone?"

The man – Henry – bows apologetically at the Inquisitor, but he doesn't make to leave. "I am terribly sorry for interrupting your meeting, sir, but I bring you grave news," he says, and before anyone can egg him on, Henry continues to say, "We have received news of a large scale demonic attack happening right in the city, and they are crossing over to the Mundane Realm at this very moment."

Inquisitor Wu's calm demeanour is finally shattered by Henry's words, and the legs of his chair scrape jarringly against the wooden floorboards when he stands up abruptly, leaving goosebumps on Lu Han's skin from the chillingly shrill sound. " _What_. What do you mean by large scale?"

Henry gulps nervously; evidently he'd been hoping that he'd be spared of the question. "In the hundreds, from the last count. Maybe more. We don't know for sure, sir, but we need to mobilise our men as soon as possible."

The Inquisitor finally walks towards away from his desk and towards the door, grabbing his coat on the way out. "Get every possible Shadowhunter who can fight to go. We can't let the demons roam free in the Mundane Realm," he orders, and Henry scrambles to obey. Just as Inquisitor Wu is about to leave them behind, though, he seems to think better of his actions, and pauses to regard the trio still left standing in the room, before glancing at Junmyeon.

"Before we can ascertain this Fey's intentions, keep him locked up in the holding cells below," he tells Junmyeon, who only looks much too happy to oblige.

But apparently, that's not all. "On second thought, keep Yifan down there with him in a separate cell. I don't think I can trust someone who associates themselves with the Fairfolk."

Yifan practically gawks at his father for ordering that he be kept locked up, though before Yifan can say a thing about it, Lu Han hears Junmyeon mutter a silent apology before dealing a heavy blow to the back of Yifan's head, effectively knocking him out. Lu Han's vision goes next.

✩

Yifan wakes up with a literal pain in the neck, which sends a sharp stab down his spine when he jolts up from a lying position. His hand immediately goes to his neck, rubbing at the sore spot as he wills the giddiness to go away, and groans mutedly.

Then he freezes when he hears an _echo_ , of all things, because the Institute has enough things filling up its floor space to not leave an echo, and when Yifan blinks his eyes open, he realises he's in a cell in the underground dungeons. He immediately rushes towards the metal bars, wrapping his fingers around two and giving them a hard jangle, wondering if someone's just playing a very distasteful prank on him.

They don't budge.

What the _fuck_ –

"I'm sorry for dragging you into this," a soft voice comes from the next cell, words bouncing off the stone walls in an echo too, and Yifan remembers with a start that someone – probably, most likely Junmyeon – had knocked him out earlier, when Yifan had wanted to join the rest of his brethren in the fight against the demons, _under his father's orders_. Yifan knows that his father can be rather ruthless sometimes, but he didn't expect him to be _this_ merciless while dealing with him.

Yifan tries to crane his neck to no avail; the cells are built in a way that prevents the inmates from seeing each other. Yifan curses under his breath, but doesn't push his luck further. He knows how these cells are constructed, metal bars strong enough to hold back an angry werewolf from breaking himself out. He doesn't stand a chance, though it doesn't stop Yifan from slamming his closed fist against the bars, rattling the metal once again. A sharp pain zings up the length of his arm, which Yifan duly ignores.

"Are you okay, Han? They didn't hurt you, did they?" He asks instead, panic seeping into his words. With Yifan knocked out and unable to defend Lu Han, Junmyeon and his father could very well do anything that they pleased to Lu Han. The thought makes Yifan's stomach churn again.

"I'm fine," comes the reply, voice soothing, and Yifan finds himself relaxing just a little. "They didn't hurt me; I agreed to go along with Junmyeon without putting up a fight. Are _you_ okay? Junmyeon didn't pull his punches, I presume."

The dull ache in the back of his neck makes Yifan wince. "Yeah, he definitely didn't," Yifan mumbles dryly, then leans against the wall of his cell, letting gravity pull him to the ground in a gentle slide. A mirthless chuckle escapes his throat as Yifan thinks of his luck. "Funny, how the son of the Inquisitor ends up in the Institute's holding cell, like I'm some sort of _prisoner_."

"I'm sorry," the apology immediately comes again, and Yifan's gut clenches uncomfortably. He hadn't meant to induce the guilt in Lu Han. "If you hadn't gotten involved with me, you would've been able to roam freely out there. This is my fault."

"Hey," Yifan chastises gently, aching to hold Lu Han in his arms, though he supposes his father had figured that part out and ordered for them to be kept separately. Or perhaps Junmyeon, in all his jealousy, had made the split second decision before locking them up. The skin underlying his _parabatai_ rune burns. "Don't beat yourself up over it. I've made my choice, and it is to believe in you. I don't think you were pulling our legs when you said that the Fairfolk are planning to launch an attack."

A sigh, dreary. "I wish the other Nephilim would believe in me. I don't have the heart to lie to any of you, not when I possess Nephilim blood too. I just. Can't." Another sigh, and Yifan chews on his bottom lip. If only things could play out differently, if only his father was a little more accepting of the other Downworlders and the Fey alike, maybe they wouldn't have ended up this way. "My father taught me better."

"I apologise on my father's behalf," Yifan says finally. "He's called Wu Dingtian, and he really does think that he can hold up the sky with his own two hands, unfortunately. Stubborn old man who refuses to listen to suggestions, he is."

Despite Yifan's lamentation, though, he knows that he still respects his father all the same, for all his contributions to the Shadowhunters' Realm. He's kept the Beijing Enclave and the Institute safe and cohesive for so many years, with only minimal help from Yifan's mother and Yifan himself. He's a great Shadowhunter indeed; it's just a shame that Wu Dingtian is such a conservative person at heart.

"Somehow," Lu Han starts, and Yifan perks up in attention. There's nothing else they can do right now, apart from making idle conversation and praying that the situation with the demons out there is under control. The Institute is eerily silent with even the prison guards gone, and Yifan doesn't like it one bit. "I think you and your father are extremely alike. You're both people who hold on steadfastly to your own principles, and are not willing to let the words of others sway you."

"But I'm not like him, when it comes to accepting the other Downworlders amongst our ranks," Yifan points out, and Lu Han hums in agreement.

"No, you're definitely not. You're much kinder, and a lot more open-minded than he is," Lu Han tells him. "But you're still his son."

"Unfortunately," Yifan finds himself smiling wryly, and they both sink into a comfortable silence soon enough.

Lu Han's the one to shatter it moments later, however. "Hey, Yifan? Do you ever regret knowing me?"

There's profound sadness and regret in his words that it makes Yifan's heart ache, though he's quick to answer. "Never. Meeting you has brought me some of the best moments in my life so far."

"Even if it drives a wedge in the relationship between Junmyeon and you?"

Oh, right. Yifan had nearly forgotten the fact that Junmyeon's probably _in love_ with him, never mind that such feelings are forbidden by the Clave. It's one law that Yifan will not even think of breaking, when romantic relationships between _parabatai_ warriors promise nothing but destruction to them both. He'll have to sit down and talk to Junmyeon about it someday, when all this is over. He's sure they'll be able to settle things amicably without harming their bond.

Yifan hopes. _Prays_. It's the only thing he can do right now.

Nevertheless, Yifan isn't provided with the opportunity to speak his thoughts. At that particular moment, someone pushes past the iron gates that separate the dungeon cells from the rest of the Institute, panicked footsteps bounding off the unevenly cut stone staircase and filling the air around them, and Yifan finds himself scrambling to his feet at once. Judging by the shuffling sound that comes from the next cell, Lu Han must have done the same too.

Yifan's eyes widen dramatically when Jongin – hair tousled and blood smeared across his face and tainting his undershirt where it's exposed in tattered bits through his black top – comes to a screeching stop right in front of Yifan's cell. It's only then that Yifan hears the rhythmic jangle which can only belong to a bunch of keys, and he realises with a start that Jongin's here to let him out. He finds himself surprised even further when a head of red passes by in a flurry, followed by an excited squeal of _Baekhyun!_ belonging to Lu Han's voice.

"What's the meaning of this, Jongin? My father will punish you severely if he finds out what you've done," Yifan finds himself asking as he steps out of his cell, Jongin having unlocked it for him before hurrying to the next.

Jongin only spares a brief moment to look at Yifan, flashing a wry smile before turning back to work on the lock of Lu Han's prison cell, trying key after key to find the right one. "He can punish me all he wants, _if_ we all make out of this ordeal alive."

Jongin's words gives Yifan a sinking feeling in his stomach. "Are things _that_ bad? What's going on, anyway?"

"As it is, we're getting pushed back, only because Inquisitor Wu had been too stubborn to listen to Lu Han's warning," Jongin says grimly, still picking at the lock. His hands are trembling as he does so, and Yifan recognises the panic and fear in them.

What exactly is happening, if a Shadowhunter as brave as Jongin is can actually be intimidated by the situation?

"Apparently–" the redheaded newcomer speaks up, the glow of happiness from his reunion with Lu Han fading fast as he turns to regard Yifan, and Yifan is taken aback by eyes of aquamarine and lilac that stare back at him. A pureblooded Fey; how did he even gain access into the Institute? "–the Seelie Queen had allied herself with the demons."

"I brought him in," Jongin explains, as though reading Yifan's thoughts. "He approached me with this information, and I knew I had to get to you. Junmyeon's trying too hard to make it up to your absence, and he's going to get himself killed if he keeps at it."

Lu Han, who'd been smiling smugly at the sight of Jongin and Baekhyun together for reasons unknown, turns pale when the reality of Baekhyun's words finally sink in. "What? The Seelie Queen _made a pact_ with the _Demons_? Is she out of her mind?"

"Then the increase in demonic activity in the last couple of months. It's their doing?" Yifan asks, and his insides churn when Baekhyun nods in affirmation. Jongin makes to stand once he's found the right key to unlock Lu Han's cell, and jealousy makes Yifan nauseated when he sees the way Lu Han reflexively entwines his fingers with Baekhyun's long, slender ones the moment they come into close proximity.

"We need to go help them out at once," Yifan decides, fighting off the unwanted sensations. There's graver things for him to worry about, and the close relationship between Baekhyun and Lu Han is not one of them. He does turn to regard Lu Han, nonetheless, and asks, "Are you ready to put what you've learnt with regards to wielding a seraph blade to good use?"

Lu Han's replying smile is brave and bright. "Definitely."

"Let's go, then," Jongin decides for them, and immediately makes for the doorway once again, Baekhyun hot on his heels. Just as Yifan prepares to go after them, Lu Han's fingers wrap around his wrist, firmly holding him in place. Yifan had nearly forgotten how strong Lu Han can be when he puts his mind to it, despite his petite size.

"What you're thinking–" Lu Han starts, holding Yifan's gaze seriously. "–stop it. They're not true. There's nothing of that sort between Baekhyun and I."

Yifan manages a small smile, realising he'd let his guard down around Lu Han yet again. He's been doing that a lot these days, though it's not as though Yifan minds it much. "We'll talk about this once we put a stop to the Seelie Queen's madness. I'd hate to watch the entire Alternate Realm go to ruins because of her."

Lu Han's eyes light up with hope. "Promise?"

"Promise."

✩

It's a scene of carnage the moment they reach downtown Beijing, at the busiest intersection of town where demons would usually spawn after crossing over from The Void. Dead bodies belonging to Mundanes and Shadowhunters and Faerie alike are strewn all over the tarmac, some mostly intact, some mangled beyond recognition. The group of four hurry past them without even blinking, though Yifan does say a silent prayer for those who have fallen, especially those of the innocent. He's sure the Angels above have better plans for them.

The confirmation of Baekhyun's words only come when Yifan witnesses it for himself. He catches sight of armed Fey warriors exchanging blows with the Shadowhunters, fighting alongside the demons who are having the time of their lives distracting the Nephilim from defending themselves effectively against the Fey. The only good thing is that the other Downworlders are actively fighting against the Fey and the demons, with Seulgi and Qian Kun throwing orders around and fighting viciously like the true leaders they are.

Beside him, Iaoel lights up in the colour of fiery amber, a reflection of Lu Han's inner state of mind. He's livid by what he sees, Yifan's sure, and he feels sorry for Lu Han. Lu Han had been craving for the Fey and the Nephilim to coexist together, but it's been destroyed by the Seelie Queen's useless quest to avenge her bruised pride. "Where is my mother?" He asks, and Yifan realises belatedly that he'd meant it for Baekhyun, who has his own weapon – a morning star – drawn. The viciousness of the weapon contrasts so greatly with Baekhyun's gentle demeanour, though Yifan decides it'd be rude of him to comment.

"Biyu is with your father, on their way to seek help from the High Warlock of Beijing. They'll be here in a while," Baekhyun informs, to which Lu Han nods in acknowledgement.

"You need to stick close to me. You can't afford to get attacked by the other Shadowhunters and Downworlders who might think that you're in allegiance with the rest of the Fey," Jongin says, pulling Baekhyun to him by the arm, and Yifan watches at a blush spreads across Baekhyun's cheeks. Oh, was this what Lu Han had meant when he'd asked Yifan not to read too much into the relationship between Lu Han and Baekhyun?

He's dragged out of his thoughts when Lu Han nudges him in the side. "I'll stick to you, since you're my mentor and all."

"We should split up. Hanging together as a large group is only going to make us an easier target," Jongin suggests, and Yifan nods in agreement.

"Good luck," is all that Baekhyun says, squeezing Lu Han's hand in encouragement before he bounds off with Jongin.

Yifan and Lu Han are immediately on the move, too, dodging attacks from demons who have noticed the pair while dishing fatal blows of their own. Apparently, there's no cause for Yifan to worry about Lu Han, who deftly bends forth to pick up another seraph blade from the ground, probably left behind by a fallen Shadowhunter, wielding them both as though it's second nature for him. That seraph blade too glows crimson, and Yifan has to hold Lu Han's shoulder in warning.

"Don't let anger cloud your judgement. The consequences are grave."

"I know," Lu Han tells him, though at least the angry glow of his twin seraph blades dim down to a warm white. "Can't help it; the Seelie Queen is putting so many lives at stake, because she can't let go of her own pride. It was her fault in the first place, for having pledged her allegiance to Sebastian Morgenstern during the Dark War."

Yifan chews on his bottom lip. "Then it's all the more reason for us to stop her once and for all–" he begins, though sometime in his parallel vision catches his attention, and he freezes for a very brief moment before he's dashing in that direction, Cassiel drawn and a loud roar escaping his lips.

He hacks down the demon before it can deal its finishing blow on Junmyeon who'd clearly been caught off guard. The boar demon disappears into thin air in a trail of dust, and Yifan turns to look at Junmyeon with a wry smile on his face, holding his hand out for Junmyeon to take. Junmyeon stares back at him wide-eyed, as though he's seeing a ghost, but takes Yifan's larger hand and hauls himself to stand nonetheless.

"What are you doing here?" Junmyeon asks, just as Yifan had expected. "I thought I kept you locked up in the underground dungeons?"

Then, as if realising what he'd just said, Junmyeon flushes red and averts his gaze, deciding that the speck of dust on the ground is more interesting than everything else in the world. Well, at least Junmyeon's remorseful, and it redeems his actions in Yifan's eyes. Yifan perks up and pushes past Junmyeon to stab at the Fey who'd decided that it'd be fun to launch a surprise attack the moment it stepped out of a portal, injuring it non-fatally but enough to keep him writhing on the ground for a long while.

"Jongin let me out, and in good time too. You'd have gotten yourself killed," Yifan hisses, sounding harsher than he'd intended. Junmyeon only hangs his head, oddly silent, though not before making a face when he spots Lu Han standing behind Yifan.

"Seriously," Yifan says again when Junmyeon doesn't speak. "What were you thinking? You _know_ it's a fatal mistake to be distracted when you're in a fight. You're _bleeding_." The sight of Junmyeon's black clothes being soaked at the area of his waist makes Yifan's stomach drop, and he quickly draws a healing rune on Junmyeon's exposed skin with his stele.

"Thanks for saving me," Junmyeon mumbles, sincere, and the frustration Yifan had held for Junmyeon earlier dissipates without a trace. He can't possibly stay angry at his _parabatai_ , his soul brother for long. As corny as it might sound, they're always going to find a way back to each other eventually, as long as their _parabatai_ rune remains inked on their skins. It's the magic of the rune. They both know that much, Yifan is sure. "I'm sorry for acting like a jealous little prick, but I can't seem to stop myself. Nor can I disobey your father's orders."

"I know; no one ever does, apart from me," Yifan says as they start moving once again, slicing through demons with Lu Han right behind them. Junmyeon throws a look over his shoulder, and Yifan sees the surprise in Junmyeon's eyes as he watches Lu Han fight with such finesse that it puts even the most seasoned of Shadowhunters to shame.

"I understand now, why you're so taken with him," Junmyeon admits, ducking under the blade of a Fey who'd slashed at them before swinging his seraph blade in a large arc and slicing the Fey in its legs. It crumples to the ground in pain, and Junmyeon hops over it, reluctant to deal the finishing blow. It warms Yifan to realise that Junmyeon is probably buying into their ideals, of not killing off the Fairfolk when there is still a chance of persuading them into stopping this madness. "He's beautiful."

This time, it's Yifan's turn to blush. They haven't officially placed a tag on their relationship, despite having engaged in an intense make out session the other night. Lu Han and Yifan haven't really had the opportunity to sit down and talk about it, though Yifan knows that the attraction runs deep on his part. The way Lu Han is seemingly executing an intricately fine dance as he cuts down demons and Fey alike is simply mesmerising, his twin seraph blades creating a beautiful pattern in the night air. It takes a moment longer for Yifan to realise that Lu Han's father had probably trained him to do that, and Junmyeon's words only confirm that thought.

"He's Lu Ming's son, isn't he? There's only one other Shadowhunter who could wield two seraph blades at the same time. He's trained Lu Han well."

Yifan laughs despite the pressing situation they're in, tag-teaming with Junmyeon to bring down the demons who surround them, just as they've always had. Earning Junmyeon's trust again is one of the best things that could happen, and it makes it easier for Yifan to fight by depending on muscle memory, matching Junmyeon move by move and vice versa. "Turns out that I had no reason to play mentor to him, after all."

It earns a laugh from Junmyeon too, and it's the happiest he's seen Junmyeon in weeks. Maybe there's hope yet for them to salvage their _parabatai_ bond, after Junmyeon had weakened it the other time to track Yifan down. He bends and lets Junmyeon use his broad back as leverage to propel him off the ground, leaping towards an airborne Fey who's shooting arrows down at them. Junmyeon aims specifically for its wings, rendering it incapacitated but alive.

Lu Han bounds up to them just then, a grin on his face. He'd probably heard what Yifan had told Junmyeon. "I didn't say it was necessary, but I did enjoy those sessions."

Junmyeon snorts. "Only because you could get closer to Yifan. I know how you feel about him," he comments, though he quickly changes the subject before Lu Han or Yifan can say another thing about it. They're both beet red from embarrassment as it stands. "Do you have any idea where the Seelie Queen is hiding herself? We need to bring her down in order to force the rest of the armed Fey to surrender, and we need to do it as soon as possible. The casualty count is much too high, and we can't afford to let it escalate further."

Lu Han looks around and scrunches his nose at what he sees. "My mother would know, since she's the Seelie Queen's half-sister. We need to search for her, first."

Yifan snaps up just in time to see a couple bounding onto the battlefield with Han Geng in tow, and he tugs Junmyeon and Lu Han forth without wasting another moment, instinctively knowing that it must be Lu Han's parents. He looks so much alike his mother, with his father's lean physique. "I think that's no longer necessary. Come on."

✩

As it turns out, the Seelie Queen is too much of a coward to stand on the battlefield with her subjects, merely watching from The Void where it's the safest for her as the Fey wage war against the Shadowhunters. It makes Lu Han incredibly sick to the stomach to learn that such a cruel person should exist, and it fuels his desire to bring her down even more. She's not being fair, even to her own people, to sacrifice them in such a manner and sully the Fairfolks' name further by associating themselves with the demons, while she hides behind a mysterious veil, watching as the destruction happens and fleeing when the odds are stacked against her.

Biyu is _livid_ when she discovers what her half-sister has been doing, and she doesn't waste any time in opening a direct portal to where the Seelie Queen stands hiding, allowing her husband, Lu Han, Yifan, and Junmyeon to step through it before she follows suit. For someone of such high status, it's almost surprising when they find her standing there alone in The Void, with neither the Fey or the demons guarding her in case someone should find her, looking into what seems like a viewing portal with her fingers beneath her chin.

Or perhaps the Seelie Queen had been so confident of her hiding spot that she hadn't expected anyone to find her, but Yifan doesn't think they'll ever find out the truth, when the Seelie Queen turns around to regard them with a mask of calmness. If Yifan looks closely, he might even find the ghost of a smirk playing on her lips, but she definitely isn't alarmed by their appearance.

"Why, to whom do I owe the pleasure of seeing my half-sister again, after all these years of her desertion?" The Seelie Queen, a stately woman despite her short stature with piercing golden eyes and pointed ears muses, the tails of her long dress gliding after her as she takes several steps closer to the group. Yifan and Junmyeon instantly hold up their weapons, as does Lu Han, all warning her not to get any closer. She laughs, _cackles_ at them.

"I did not desert the Fairfolk; I merely walked away because I could not agree with your ideals, and I still don't," Fan Biyu says, fists clenched by her sides. " _You_ , on the other hand, have betrayed the trust of your people, exploiting their naïveté to avenge the wounds inflicted on your pride by the Nephilim."

The Seelie Queen rolls her eyes and tuts. "You speak like we haven't been trampled all over by the Nephilim. Worse still, you have chosen to _marry_ one and bear his offspring, further diluting your royal blood. Is that not an act of foolishness?"

"You will never know what it's like to love," Biyu snaps back, and Yifan is rather impressed with her gutsiness. He doesn't doubt that there's a hierarchy of respect in place in the Faerie Realm, and very rare a few would even think of crossing the Seelie Queen, for all the power she holds on them. Then again, Fan Biyu and Byun Baekhyun have proven him wrong, and Yifan thinks he sees the Fey in a different light now. If only a larger majority of them thinks the same way as Fan Biyu, then maybe they wouldn't be embroiled in this mess right now.

Again, the Seelie Queen cackles, sparks of pale blue magical light crackling at the tips of her fingers. "There is no need for love, when it only makes you weaker."

"You're wrong," Lu Han steps up this time, earning a surprised gasp from Junmyeon that's loud enough for only Yifan to hear, owing to their close proximity. "Love makes one stronger, because you have someone to fight for, and will die trying to do so, even though at the same time you fight to stay alive in order to have another day with them."

The Seelie Queen cants her head to the side, observing Lu Han with interest, and Yifan's overcome with the urge to stand in the Seelie Queen's line of sight, blocking Lu Han from view. But Yifan also knows better than everyone else that Lu Han doesn't need anyone to fight his battles for him. He's strong enough, and Yifan finds that admirable.

"Really, boy?" She asks, though it's more mocking than truly inquisitory. "Let's see how you fare against someone who has hardened their heart to live without love!"

It's not much of a fair fight at first sight, when there's five of them against the Seelie Queen, but Yifan soon learns that numbers are secondary when she doesn't hold back on her powers. The first bolt of magic zaps through the air, landing dangerously close to where Yifan and Lu Han's feet had been, if they hadn't leapt out of the way in time. The adrenaline soon courses through Yifan's vein, every muscle of his alight and fully prepared to be commanded into movement the moment his brain gives the signal, and his grip on Cassiel is firm as he crosses the space between them and the Seelie Queen in long, quick strides. Junmyeon's on the opposite side doing the same, and their gazes keep meeting in the middle in a silent conversation – they've been bonded by the _parabatai_ rune long enough to be able to read into each other's thoughts, and it's a good thing to have at times like these. 

Lu Han's parents surge towards the Seelie Queen from behind, while Lu Han covers the last exposed area, his twin seraph blade every bit menacing in the darkness of The Void. Yifan doesn't know if it's mere bravado on the Seelie Queen's part, but she doesn't seem the least bit perturbed by the fact that she's completely surrounded, with nowhere to run. With Fan Biyu's abilities, Yifan doesn't doubt that they'll be able to chase the Seelie Queen down no matter where she goes, if she ever decides to summon a portal and disappear through it. He doesn't let the thoughts distract him from the fight at hand, though, blocking off the magical energy shooting out from the ends of the Seelie Queen's fingertips with the use of his seraph blade. 

Then he realises, rather belatedly, why the Seelie Queen had been so terribly calm, when two demons pop up around her the moment the group walks within a meter's radius. And they're not even regular demons, but two Greater Demons that tower over them, their grins feral on their mouth-like appendages. By instinct, both Junmyeon and Yifan spring away from the circle, trying to put as much distance between them and the Greater Demons as possible. Yifan makes a detour, dashing towards Lu Han and yanking him out of the way just as a chomping fanged mouth bends over Lu Han and almost swallows him whole. 

When they get far enough, Yifan raises his gaze and realises that they're up against Hunger, an obese, devil-like humanoid demon whose body is covered in hard, bony scales and a variety of fanged mouths. It's a revolting sight, really, especially when ichor is leaking out of the mouths on its body, lips smacking like a starved person about to devour their meal. On the other side, Yifan notices that Lu Ming and Fan Biyu are up against a shorter Greater Demon with reptilian features, its scarlet eyes and long, yellowish barbed tail decorated with a stinger making it look menacing despite its size. Fan Biyu looks so terribly small. 

"Don't worry about them," Lu Han mutters below his breath, and Yifan snaps around to look at him. He stops short of freaking out, when he again remembers belatedly that Lu Han's able to read into his mind if his guard is down, and Lu Han's hand in his calms him down the rest of the way. "They'll be able to handle the demon on their own; my mother's a lot stronger than she looks."

That, Yifan doesn't doubt; Lu Han is a lot like his mother, all quiet strength and resilience. He smiles when Junmyeon comes over to join them, and they discuss their plans in urgent, low voices, weapons at the ready and an eye on the demon who keeps advancing towards them sluggishly. 

"We need to get as far away from its mouths as possible," Yifan says, "the fangs are imbued with demon toxin, and it'll be bad news if it catches on our skin." 

Both Lu Han and Junmyeon nod in understanding, and Junmyeon continues on to point out that the demon's back is exposed for the taking, its numerous mouths only decorating its sides and front. Without further ado, they make the decision to break up, Junmyeon and Yifan taking on the demon from the flanks while Lu Han sidles up to its back, being the only one small enough to go unnoticed. The demon roars in agony the moment Yifan and Junmyeon sink their seraph blades into its sides, leaving behind a large, charred, gaping wound and the stench of burnt flesh as they spring apart again. It seems that for whatever reason, the Hunger demon isn't able to regenerate as quickly as it should in The Void, and Lu Han quickly deals the finishing blow by slicing its head clean off its body, crossing his twin seraph blades in a neat, perfectly executed X. 

Despite Lu Han's initial advice for Yifan not to worry about his parents, there's tenseness in the lines of his body as he turns to see how his parents are faring against the Greater Demon they're facing, only to relax significantly once the demon turns into dust. 

It's only then that the panic shows on the Seelie Queen's face, and it's telling of the fact that she no longer has anything up her sleeves. Yifan isn't sure why she didn't make her escape while they were preoccupied with the demon, though he attributes it to her stubborn pride. It _would_ seem unsightly for the Seelie Queen to run with her tail between her legs, after all, even if the alternative would spell her demise. 

"Give it up, _sister_. There's nowhere else for you to run," Fan Biyu says, taking slow steps towards the Seelie Queen, whom only takes an equal number of steps away from them. The rest of them linger behind, knowing that this is a matter to be solved between Fan Biyu and the Seelie Queen, that they have no business in laying a hand on the Seelie Queen, despite the fact that she'd caused the deaths and injured many of their comrades, and putting the Mundane Realm in a precarious state with her actions. 

"Never," the Seelie Queen seethes, raising her hands at the same time Fan Biyu brings her arms up, and Yifan turns around unwilling to witness the rest of the exchange. 

✩

The skirmish between the Shadowhunters and the Fey are still ongoing by the time they return to the Mundane Realm, leaving behind scores of dead bodies and more injured ones writhing in agony on the ground. Yifan, Junmyeon, and Lu Han waste no time in attending to the wounded, drawing _iratze_ s on those who can take the marks, and using low-grade magic on the others that can't.

Fan Biyu, on the other hand, makes her way to the highest point of the intersection with her husband by her elbow, wearing the calmest but most confident expression Lu Han has ever seen on his mother as he faces the still-fighting crowd beneath. It's clear that she hasn't lost the slightest bit of her royal air when she projects her voice around the area, making everyone – especially the Fey – come to a standstill as they turn around to find out what's going on. 

"Halt your attacks! I am Crown Princess Fan Biyu of the Seelie Court, and I am here to tell you that the Seelie Queen is no more," she announces, and there are murmurs of confusion amongst the Fairfolk. Rightfully so, though Biyu doesn't give them the opportunity to question her. "She had deceived all of you, using your loyalty towards the Ruler of the Seelie Court to do her bidding, and trust me when I say this is a pointless war, of her wanting to avenge the damage dealt to her pride after the years of the Dark War. I have ended her with my own hands, and now I stand as your Queen. I promise you, I will enter talks with the Nephilim, and I will restore our relationship to what it was before the previous Queen had pledged her allegiance to the Dark War. And to the Nephilim, please accept my sincerest apologies for the foolishness our previous ruler had caused, and I will take whatever punishment you may see fit to atone for her sins."

There's a presence that comes to a halt by Yifan's side just then, and Yifan turns to see his injured father, a gaping wound torn into the flesh of his abdomen, though the bleeding has mercifully been stemmed by the healing rune drawn over the area. There's respect and perhaps a bit of awe on Wu Dingtian's face, and plenty of relief flooding his features that this massacre has finally come to an end, and for the first time, Wu Dingtian smiles. 

"I accept," he says. "I will arrange a meeting between you and the Clave in Alicante the soonest I can." 

Yifan has never felt more relieved in his life, and he's certain Lu Han feels the same way too, when the man slips his smaller hand into Yifan's palm and giving it a firm squeeze. 

✩

It's a bit surreal to find himself standing in the Gard where the Clave in Alicante convenes for its meetings, but Yifan tries not to let the excitement show as he watches the proceedings happen with his very own eyes. After Yifan's father had recuperated from the injuries he'd sustained from the war in Beijing, he'd immediately written in to the Clave, requesting an audience with the High Inquisitor and the rest of the Clave members in Alicante to discuss about their stance with the Fairfolk – just as he had promised Fan Biyu on that fateful day. 

Several Enclaves around the world were also hit by the surprise attack from the Fey and their demonic allies, but things were quickly brought under control with the help of several Fey who subscribe to Fan Biyu's ideals of coexisting in peace with the Nephilim, all beings who hold positions of importance in the Seelie Court. Thankfully, the damage done isn't as great as the one sustained by Beijing, and restorative works were almost completed by then. 

Wu Dingtian and Fan Biyu are in the centre of the room with all eyes on them as they present their argument on why the treaty signed during the Cold Peace was unreasonable, and while there are several disagreements on the new terms proposed by Biyu, they eventually come to a peaceful compromise, none of the condescending shit coming from the Clave as Yifan had initially expected them to throw. Perhaps the times are really changing, and the newer leaders of the Clave are more accepting of a reasonable compromise than its predecessors had. 

The Gard erupts in joyful cheers once the new treaty has been signed by both the Nephilim and the Fairfolk, bringing forth a brand new era of coexistence, and Yifan finds himself grinning from ear to ear as a weight leans heavily against his side, the relief seeping into him from the body beside him.

Lu Han seems every bit proud of his mother as he watches her from the stands, interacting with the rest of the Downworlders and the members of the Clave with a serious expression on her face. "I've always known that she's more suited for the ruling position, you know. She's never admitted to this, but I could tell that being a housewife isn't a life that's cut out for her." 

Watching Fan Biyu like this, Yifan thinks he can see it too. "What about your father? Now that your mother has returned to the Faerie Realm to take her place as the ruler of the Seelie Court, is he going to join her there?" 

"You bet," Lu Han laughs, the corner of his eyes crinkling in amusement and fondness for his parents. "He can't receive the Marks again, can he?"

"Unfortunately not," Yifan affirms. The results would be disastrous, and Lu Ming might potentially be driven to the brink of insanity if they ever attempted it. He doesn't think Fan Biyu would allow that to happen, ever. She loves him too much. "Your father doesn't seem to mind."

"He doesn't," Lu Han agrees. "As long as they're together, he doesn't really care if he can't bear runes on his skin ever again." 

"What about you?" Junmyeon joins them just then, a warm smile on his face as he comes to sit beside Yifan. He shoots a knowing gaze at the way Yifan's fingers are tangled together with Lu Han's between them, and Lu Han panics when he remembers the feelings Junmyeon harbours for Yifan, quickly pulling out of Yifan's grip; they've never really talked about it, not yet. His actions earns a laugh from Junmyeon, though, and Lu Han stares at him in confusion. "Relax, I've gotten over the fact that I can never have a romantic relationship with Yifan. Our _parabatai_ bond doesn't allow it. Besides, you both look good together."

Lu Han splutters in embarrassment at the same time that Yifan barks out a laugh, and Yifan wraps an arm around his shoulder, pulling Lu Han in. Lu Han's presence is so, so warm against him, and Yifan has never felt happier. 

"Okay–" Lu Han starts shyly, only to do a double take when he recalls Junmyeon's question for him. "Wait, what do you mean by _what about you_?"

"Oh, the runes, I meant," Junmyeon says, thoughtful, and he shares a conspiratorial look with Yifan who immediately remembers what they'd talked about the other day with Yifan's father. He nods slightly, urging Junmyeon to go on. "You _do_ want them to be marked on your skin, don't you?"

"Is that–" Lu Han blinks slowly, trying to let the weight of the words sink in. "–does that mean I can be a full-fledged Shadowhunter? Am I even allowed to?" 

Yifan turns to grin at him. He can only imagine the amount of happiness flooding Lu Han's senses at this very moment. He'd been giddy with excitement, when Wu Dingtian had agreed to talk to the Clave about allowing half-Nephilim, half-Fey children like Lu Han back into their ranks, as they should have been before the Cold Peace had taken place. His father had kept his promise, and this is the result of it. "The feud between the Shadowhunters and the Fairfolk has ended, hasn't it? Don't you want to be one of us, to hold Iaoel as you're truly meant to?" 

"Of course I do!" Lu Han's quick to say, and Yifan's heart is warmed by his childlike innocent that shines through once in a while. It really reminds Yifan of the time when he was about to receive his first runes, back when he was stepping into adolescence from childhood. "When will the ceremony be done? Is there anything I'll need to prepare?" 

"No," Junmyeon chuckles, making to stand. "We just have to bring you to the Silent Brothers, that's all." 

"The Silent Brothers?" Lu Han echoes, and Yifan realises there's a lot more than Lu Han hasn't learnt about the Nephilim world, despite the training his father has been giving him. It doesn't matter, though. They'll have plenty of that in their hands, once Lu Han moves into the Beijing Institute with them. Yifan can't wait. 

"Yeah, the Silent Brothers," Yifan affirms, pulling Lu Han to stand with him. "They're a bit scary, but they're one of the kindest around when it comes to us Shadowhunters. Come on, let's go." 

"Hey, Yifan?" Lu Han calls out, just as they're making their way through the crowd which has congregated in the Gard. Yifan catches his father's smile just then, and replies it before he turns to look at Lu Han. 

"Yeah?" 

Apparently, Lu Han isn't short of any surprises, when he goes on tiptoes and wraps his arms around Yifan's neck, pulling Yifan down for a kiss in full view of the rest of the Shadowhunters and the Downworlders. He _should_ feel self-conscious with all the wolf-whistling and the wild cheers going on around them, but Yifan finds that he doesn't care, instinctively pulling Lu Han closer by the waist and deepening the kiss further, his heart soaring when he feels Lu Han smiling against his lips. 

He doesn't want this moment to ever end. 


End file.
